By Victor Okoye
Organisers of the 2022 NLNG on Saturday said that the tournament was an avenue to strengthen the bond of friendship with its numerous stakeholders.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NLNG Golf Classic which is being sponsored by Nigeria LNG Ltd. is in its fourth edition.
The tournament began on Friday and will end on Sunday at the Bonny Island Golf Club (BIGC) in Rivers.
Abubakar Husseini, the Captain of BIGC said participants at this year’s tournament should expect to have a memorable event full of fond memories.
“We expect golfers participating as this year’s tournament to play and enjoy an experience of a lifetime as we have worked tirelessly as a club and put in place everything to ensure that no one is left in doubt about the quality and high standards of this tournament.
“BIGC is an interesting Golf club situated by the sea and the course is one in which you need alot of balls to play because of its unique topography and challenges with the presence of alot of water bodies around.
“It is quite an interesting course because of our unique weather. We have alot of rain and a little bit of the dry season.
“So, over a full year, we can actually play four different courses on the same green.
“NLNG is known for excellence. So, expect to enjoy an excellent golfing experience in every sense of the word,” he said.
Nnenna Ahube, the Lady Captain of BIGC said the club had so much to offer to the golfing community, adding that tournaments such as these were the avenues to show case the club’s treasured assests and capabilities.
“We are on the island and people wonder what happens on the island.
“We have so much in BIGC, but don’t get to showcase it, except of course, once in a while during this kind of event.
“So, to have tournaments like these here is a way of bringing people to see what we have to offer and usually when our guests play here they are always eager to come back,” she said.
In terms of the ladies participation, she noted that the number of lady golfers taking part in the tournament was quite encouraging, adding that the number has kept growing with each tournament.
“If you check the number of people that played in the practice match, the women were about 80 percent of entire population.
“So, that tells you that the number of women playing in BIGC has really grown. We have so many women playing golf now and it is really amazing.
“We had as much as about 20 ladies who participated today and we hope to see that number increase tremendously with time,” she said.
Peter Igbi, the General Secretary of the BIGC said the NLNG Golf Classic which is the flagship competition of the company promises to be a festival of golf celebration with its stakeholders and golfing community.
“It is a competition in which we bring our stakeholders together and golfers that we are affiliated with to come and enjoy the game of golf with us.
“It has been a vehicle with which we of course forge closer ties with our stakeholders and those people we have known around within the golfing community.
“It is also an opportunity for us to show what NLNG is all about and so far it’s been a great competition this year.
“This indeed has been going on for some years and something that we know that will continue to be an avenue of fun for us as well as our stakeholders and friends.
“NLNG is also about continuous improvement. So, in previous events, we entertain our guests of course and we taking that up a notch this year.
“We believe that we shall continue to do that in years to come,” he said.
On the number of participants taking part in this year’s event, Igbi revealed that no fewer than 120 golfers would be slugging out for honours in the different categories.
“The contestants comprise of golfers from various places within and outside Bonny Island consisting of our shareholders and other stakeholders.
“The golfing community is quite tightly knit and so also is NLNG’s relationship with her stakeholders and people within the community.
“So, it was easy for us to reach out and get them to come and celebrate this festival of golf with us at this time,” he said.
Leye Falade, the Location Manager for NLNG Operation in Bonny said it was a great feeling to see many people coming around from all over the country to participate in the tournament.
“It’s always a pleasure for people to experience the Bonny hospitality
“The course is in a very good state as well as the weather which is extremely good. So we are hopeful of a very good tournament.
“Beyond the game is the bond that we share and an avenue to interact with key stakeholders of the company as well as our shareholders, partners and regulators.
“So, it’s basically just an opportunity for us to bring people together to strengthen the bond of friendship that we have,” he said.
Falade who doubles as the General Manager for Production said that it was a good feeling to be back after a two year break as a result of the Covid19 pandemic.
“This is the fourth edition as we have not been able to host the tournament for the last two years because of the Covid19 pandemic.
“It created a critical gap for us as we have missed the interaction that we normally have with our partners and the people in the community.
“So, we are excited to be back on course. It’s like the birds are singing again. We are getting back to the market square and doing what we love to do.
“We are now just looking forwad to the beginning of the tournament when we can experience the full display of our golfing community,” he said.
Oluwaseun, the Competition Secretary of the NLNG Golf Classic said this year’s tournament promises to be full of fun and entertainment, adding that it was packed full with alot of activities.
“We have alot of dignitaries and stakeholders coming from across the country.
“It is going to foster camaraderie and bring us closer together towards achieving a better country as well as enhancing our fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
“The participants are expected to play a round of 18 holes in a stroke play format.
“I have played in alot of courses both within and outside the country but I must confess that this course is very unique with its peculiar challenges.
“I am proud to be a member of the BIGC and the course designers I must say did a very good job indeed.
“This is one of the best courses in the country which was well planned out and structured. It is also a very safe course to play,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)