Olusegun Runsewe, the President of the Nigerian Golf Federation (NGF), says the 2023 West & Central Africa Challenge Golf Trophy is an opportunity to showcase Nigeria to the rest of Africa.
Runsewe made the remarks on Friday during a courtesy call by the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), the organisers of the event to his office.
Sharpedgenews reports that that the week-long tournament is expected to hold at the exotic Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate and Resort in Lagos from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7.
No fewer than 10 countries are taking part in the tournament including; Gabon, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Benin, Senegal and host Nigeria.
The NGF President commended LGAN for taking up the challenge to organise a very big tournament of this magnitude.
“First and foremost, I will like to commend the organisers of this programme because every opportunity we have to showcase our country we have to take full advantage of it.
“The West & Central Africa Challenge Trophy coming up is a World golfing sanctioned event and a welcome development for us to welcome no fewer than 10 African countries at this time.
“It couldn’t have come at a better time with the kind of stories that have written about Nigeria in recent times. So, if the golfing community can make a difference, why not?
“So for me, it is a welcome development and we are excited to be hosting over 10 countries in Lagos,” he said.
Runsewe who is also the Director General for the National Council for Arts and Culture said the tournament was also an opportunity to make the participants see that Nigeria is a peaceful and safe country.
He noted that it was also coming at a very important time when the country was celebrating its 63rd Independence Anniversary, adding that all hands must be on deck to make the nation proud.
“We may not have a better opportunity to showcase our country.
“The participants will be staying in our hotels, using our cars, shop and eat the different delicacies that our country has to offer as well as take advantage of our investment opportunities to promote trade.
“It is a big opportunity to tell outsiders about Nigeria especially that the country is safe than what they are reading on the internet.
“So, it is indeed a welcome development in promoting not only our rich heritage but also the country’s golfers and we look forward to a successful event,” he said.
Runsewe said that the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) was fully committed in ensuring the tournament was a success, adding that the NGF would be collaborating with the Sports Ministry to give the event adequate support.
“We are going to contact the minister of Sports, Sen. John Owan-Enoh to ensure that the ministry is carried along, especially because of the number of countries that are coming.
“We place too much emphasis on football. The game of golf is a very big business and so it is very important to ensure that the sports ministry is fully involved in it.
“With this tournament, we will be able to tell our story ourselves and with the minister’s presence and goodwill, this will become an endorsement of a lifetime.
“At the end of the day, we will be able to say that Nigeria is taking the lead again in another sport that is not football; but golf,” he said.