Golf: IBB Ladies, Runsewe Raise Caddies Profile

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Ladies Section of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja turned a new leaf by staging the first of its kind golf tournament for caddies in Abuja.

The tournament was facilitated in conjunction with the Chairman of Golf Garden Waterfront, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, as the major sponsor.

The 18-hole tournament, which inspired hope for the teeming caddies, was at the instance of the IBB Club ladies led by their Captain, Mrs Lami Ahmed.

About 123 caddies defied the heavy downpour and displayed their raw talent in the 18-hole qualifying tournament played on IBB golf course on Monday.

At the end of the qualifying event, the field was trimmed to 50 players that will regroup for the final tournament on September 12.
Runsewe, a former Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) said he was influenced in his gesture because the caddies add swagger to the game of golf.

The caddies were presented with goody bags stuffed with tee shirts, hand gloves and other sourvenirs.
The Chairman Caddies Tournament Committee, Mrs Sandra Haruna, said the ladies organised the tournament to encourage the caddies and make them realise they are vital to the game of golf.

Haruna said that since the caddies were on the bags most of the time, the ladies felt inclined about the tournament so that caddies can also experience what regular golfers feel on the golf course.

”They (caddies) are highly valued individuals who can be what they want to be in life. Some of them will either become professional golfers or further their education. We are always encouraging them in their career pursuits. There are cases where after school, members assist caddies in job placement,” Haruna said.
She thanked Otunba Runsewe for always supportive of the ladies section with the sponsorship, saying the caddies were motivated to compete in a tournament of such profile.

One of the caddies, Jessica Solomon, lauded the club for the tournament and added that the event should be made a yearly activity to encourage some of them fine-tune their skills either for pleasure or as a career.
The accounting student of Dorben Polytechnic Bwari, who has been on the bag for six years, thanked Runsewe for the sponsorship and called on others to emulate him.