Former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Patrick Okpomo, who also served as the administrative head of the country’s golf, was at the weekend among seven former players inducted into the Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria (PGAN) Hall of Fame in appreciation of their contributions to the growth of the game.
Other inductees are former Nigerian champions, Peter Akakasiaka, Lateef Lasisi, Samson Lawal, Festus Makelemi and Dr. Tony Jeffrey Uduimo.
Also inducted into the Hall of Fame is Nigeria’s current number golfer star, Andrew Oche Odoh.
The Hall of Fame induction is part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of the PGAN, which is collaborating with sports marketing outfit, Seventh Sport in a new drive to improve the fortunes of the game.
The event, held at the Golfview Hotel, Ikeja kick-started activities of the anniversary celebration and according to the PGAN, the celebrations would usher in a new dawn in Nigerian golf.
According to PGAN Director, Samson Lawal, “to commemorate this occasion, we have an all-inclusive programme that will further strengthen our association and give our players more championships to look forward to.
“We will present awards to deserving members and patrons of the association in recognition of their support toward the continued growth of the PGAN.
“We will also be unveiling our sponsors; you know it is serious business when three state governments are in partnership with our formidable Seventh Sports Organisations,” Lawal said.
Remi Johnson, a Director at Seventh Sports, said “this will be an annual event we believe will help us to asses ourselves and how we have faired in the previous year, and by so doing we can have our projection for the coming year.
“We will also have a monthly medal, this is to ensure that there are regular tournaments for members of PGAN.
“Seventh Sports is committed to ensuring that we continue to build a PGAN that we can be proud of, ” she said.
The association’s Secretary, Jide Bolaji, added that PGAN tours would also be revived before the end of 2019.
“We are working earnestly to ensure that we revive the PGAN tours which is known to be one of the most prestigious tours in West Africa.
“We want to keep our golfers busy so that in the near future, we can have world-beaters like the Tiger Woods of this world,” he said.
Bolaji disclosed that the association would hold three championships as part of the celebrations, adding that on of such events would hold at the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo from August 19 to 25, 2019.
“We are working to ensure that we have at least two championships every month going forward. This is because we believe the players can only get better when they have enough competitions to test their skills.”
