150 students jostle for Leader Joe junior golf tournament

The Leader Joe 1808 Foundation brought together 150 children from across Nigeria to celebrate sportsmanship and promote a vital cause, access to quality education for every child, through its junior golf tournament.

The third edition of the Leader Joe 1808 Foundation Junior Golf Tournament teed off in Abuja, marking a significant milestone in the foundation’s efforts.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director and founder, Leader Joseph Onu, emphasized the dual purpose of the tournament, saying that, “This is not just an ordinary golf tournament; it’s a platform to promote the culture of going back to school. Every child deserves a quality education.”

He noted that the event is a world-ranking tournament, with participants competing in a 56-hole format. For the first category, 13 to 18, will be playing 36 holes today.

Onu expressed concern over Nigeria’s education crisis, referencing the United Nations’ estimate that over 20 million Nigerian children are currently out of school.

He said: “The tournament not only showcases young talents in golf but also serves as a rallying call to address the challenges of educational access and inequality across the country.

“We are here today for our third edition of the junior golf tournament, and we’re excited because we have about 150 children here from nearly all the states in the country.
“They are all here to celebrate and promote the culture of going back to school because the vision and mission of this tournament extend far beyond just golf.”

Onu celebrated the tournament’s achievements, noting its success in earning global recognition for young Nigerian golfers.

Onu noted that the foundation currently supports 119 children nationwide under its scholarship scheme.