Achimota Vows to Avenge IBB Club Match-play Drubbing

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Following their hiding by IBB Golf Club, Abuja during Nigeria’s 56th Independence Day Anniversary, Achimota Club 1924 of Accra has vowed to exact a pound of flesh in the next window for a rematch between the two clubs.

IBB Club won the double and single matches 27-10 after two days of intense competition that ensured the trophy will be kept in Abuja until next year.

However, the Achimota Vice Captain, Mark Cofie (Jnr) has promised that the result will be reversed in the first week of March 2017, when the Nigerian delegation returns to Accra for Ghana’s 60th Independence Anniversary.

Typically, golfers from the countries’ capital cities socialise and engage in light-hearted commemorative matches as one of the highlights of their national day celebration.

Cofie, who lauded the historic bond between Nigeria and Ghana, said that local knowledge will come into play when IBB visits the Paul McGinley redesigned Achimota next year.

“It’s my first visit to Abuja and I am amazed at the beauty and serene environment of the golf course. I like to acknowledge the hard work done to maintain the golf course in the current conditions. It is a very different course to what we have in Achimota. Even though our hosts from IBB have been there a number of times, our superintendent continues to keep it tricky and interesting. Though we will have the advantage of knowing how to play the course, we shall not rest on our laurels and will make sure we give IBB a tough run for their money when they return,’’ Cofie vowed.

While lauding the nature of the ties between Ghana and Nigeria, Cofie said the bond has confounded many people trying to understand the basis of the regional relationship. “Honestly, I don’t know whether it’s in the variation in the jollof rice or we were both colonised by the British. There is no doubt that the friendship we have had is historic and will continue to grow. May be it is not important how it started but it’s important how we continue to develop and grow it’’.