IBB International Golf and Country Club has taken a bold stride in showcasing Nigeria’s golf and business potential to the world with the 2023 Independence Day Golf Tournament’ where over 500 golfers including Ghanaians, Cameroonians, Ugandans, Rwandans and others swing for honours.
The vice captain of the club and chairman of the organizing committee of the tournament, Ibrahim Babayo, states this shortly after the ceremonial tees off on Sunday.
He said golf is a big foreign business policy to most countries and Nigeria, with one of the best golf courses in the world, is taking steps to unlock golf diplomacy and its tourism potential.
“Golf is becoming a really big foreign business policy to most countries now and you can see what the Ryder Cup currently going on in Rome is eliciting worldwide.
“So, we are also trying to partner with the FCT and Nigeria as a whole to make Nigeria a golfing destination. We have a world class golf course here that can compete with any one anywhere in the world. If you come to the IBB Golf Course and look at our fareway and green, anywhere in the world we can raise our heads and say yes we are there.
“We are trying to make the international community know that such facilities exist in Nigeria and they can always come and enjoy a round of golf and also do their businesses peacefully in Nigeria. We had a business dinner on Saturday with four participating countries. People from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nexim Bank and NACCIMA were all there,” Babayo said.
According to him, Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary is worthy of celebration, saying the country has recorded many successes in spite
of its challenges. “This has gone beyond golf, we are celebrating our unity and success despite all the challenges we have.”
Performing the ceremonial tee off, the minister of sports development, Senator John Owan Enoh, described golf as a lovely game and applauded the passion, commitment and consistency of the IBB International Golf and Country Club in hosting the tournament during country’s independence anniversary.
He pointed out that sports breeds social inclusiveness, enables diplomacy amongst countries, fosters friendship and business networks.
The Minister on a tour of the golf facility was shown many trophies won over the years by the club.
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