IBB Club Hosts Captain’s Cup, Plans Ryder Themed Tourney

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja has unfolded series of activities that will formally terminate the tenure of the executive committee headed by Hamid Abbo.

The programme, dubbed the Captain’s Cup, started at the weekend with the Lady Captain version and continued on Monday with caddies /workers competition.

A special kitty holds today ahead of the official climax on Saturday with the main Captain’s Cup that will incorporate the presentation of prizes and a gala night.

About 256 golfers will compete in the stroke-play event over the par 72 IBB golf course.
In addition there will be the past captains and other serving club captains’ competition billed for Friday, April 22.

It will feature the past lady captains of IBB and former captains of the club to be joined by invited captains from Ghana and across Nigeria.
The event will allow the captains to discuss the modalities for the creation of an African version of the acclaimed Ryder Cup played every two years between Europe and USA. It will be competed between West Africa and South Africa.

Fifteen serving captains from golf clubs have indicated their intension to attend and show their skills ahead of today’s deadline when those interested must confirm their interest.

Abbo noted that there was a marked improvement in the interclub match-play involving Abuja and Accra as golfers from the club travelled to Achimota as well as Rwanda and Uganda this year for competitions under his watch.
“The visit to Achimota for Ghana’s 59th independence anniversary was a spectacle as 54 golfers and 30 tennis players embarked on the trip to Ghana. It also informed why the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, wrote a letter of gratitude to IBB Club for the visit,” Abbo said.

Abbo, who offered to pass some invaluable advice to some of the candidates likely to succeed him at the club’s AGM billed for April 30, said apart from Ghana, Abuja has already instituted matches with East Africa nations.
“We have been to Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The Ugandans are coming to Abuja on May 29 for the Democracy Day. But we want to expand this event to ensure it involves the whole of Africa,’’ Abba said.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Chief Samuel Anyamele, said the committee would leave a legacy at the club that people will remember for many years to come.

From early results at the ladies event in honour of Lady Captain Mrs A. Usman, Amina Wilfred shot 72 nett to win the handicap 0-18 event by nine shots. Sandra Haruna came second while Rachel Danjuma was a further three shots off the pace to wound up in third place.