Awa Ibraheem inducted into Nigerian golf hall of fame
The president of Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Olusola Runsewe, says Dr Awa Ibraheem, a golf enthusiast, is one of the recipients the soon to be inaugurated Nigeria Golf Hall of Fame.
Runsewe said this during the closing ceremony of the 10th Awa Ibraheem Junior Open Golf Championship held at Ikeja Golf Club, Lagos.
Runsewe said the Golf Hall of Fame would include Ibraheem and five other Nigerians yet to be identified.
“The NGF under my leadership is planning to have a Golf Hall of Fame and we are looking at six distinguished Nigerians. Dr Awa Ibraheem has won the first slot.
“We will have other five recipients announced later as this is the first ever Hall of Fame for golf in Nigeria.
“Also, I want to announce that the federation has keyed into the Awa Ibraheem Junior Open Golf championship and we will give it all the support. From now, the tournament will have the federation’s identity,” he said.
The NGF president said Ibraheem’s doggedness in promoting grassroots development of golf in Nigeria was unmatched.
“I commend the sponsor of the tournament Ibraheem. I can attest that if we continue to develop golf like this in this country, with the ‘Catch them Young’ programme, then the future of golf is here.
“Golf is a game that one must get used to early in life because of the flexibility of the body, once a player passes the age of 20 years before engaging in it, such players may not get to the peak.
“There is future for golf in Nigeria and in the next couple years, things will start to unfold. As at now, no Nigerian is on the Golf Tour, but with this young ones on board, the Tour is just an inch away,” Runsewe said.
The 10th Awa Ibraheem Junior Open Golf Championship climaxed with Austine Aleji of Otukpo Golf Club emerging new champion.
Also, Ghanian golf sensation, Juliene Amezade stunned other Nigerian players to emerge as the winner of the U-15 Girls’ category thus becoming the first non-Nigerian to win the competition in its 10 years existence.
