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Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has emerged as the champion of the 2nd Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry golf tournament held at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that over 160 golfers from the electricity industry participated in the tournament, which aimed to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and promote efficient service delivery.
Dogara returned an aggregate score of 62 net to emerge as the overall winner of the one-day event.
An elated Dogara told NAN at the gala night for participants on Saturday that luck might have played a part in his victory, but he was more excited about participating in the tournament.
“I am excited not because I have won, but because I participated.
“The joy of golf is not just about participating; if you are not going to win anything, you still gain the benefits of the exercise and the vitamin D if you are playing early in the morning.
“I would say you cannot dismiss the role of luck in sports. I have been playing for some time, in the first edition I came second, and I am happy to be winning today,” he said.
Dogara, however, stressed the need for more investment in the development of golf across the country, in line with international best practices.
He specifically urged the Federal Government to introduce regulations that would mandate corporate organisations to develop and maintain strategic facilities like the IBB golf course.
“I am not saying the government should budget to fix this golf club, but there are companies doing business in Nigeria, making profits in the hundreds of billions.
“It’s not asking too much for the government to say since you have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), contribute here.
“So we can beautify this place (IBB golf course); we can elevate it to the status of St Andrews, the home of golf.
“So that anybody who comes here, or any golfer who visits, will know we are serious and committed, and that Nigeria has really changed for good,” he said.
The former Speaker added that the tournament also served as a relaxed platform for stakeholders to discuss how to find a lasting solution to the ongoing power crises in the country.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the tournament, Adetunji Adeyeye, told NAN that the well-attended event provided electricity stakeholders with an opportunity to further collaborate.
“The golf tournament is a forum and a platform to bring together all stakeholders within the Nigerian power sector to have conversations, strategise, and engage informally,” he said.
NAN reports that the high point of the gala night was the presentation of awards to winners and participants in various categories.
(NAN)
