Armed forces rally round maiden Jaji Pro-am

The Armed forces have become a major rallying point for the first-ever professional and Amateur (Pro-Am) golf event that would happen at the Ola Saad Ibrahim Golf Club situated inside the vast complex of the Armed Forces Staff College in Jaji in about 50 years.

The tourney would tentatively hold in the second week of January 2022.

The Captain of the Club, Navy Commander JO Shaibu, disclosed that the Commandant of the Staff College, AVM Michael Alade, is indeed keen on the golf tournament that will attract some 170 professionals and 400 amateur golfers from across the country because this grand event is to show that Kaduna is not really unsafe as many Nigerians relieve.

“We are expecting a huge number of golfers and this event will happen inside our facility,” noted Shaibu, who is equally the commandant of the Staff College secondary school.

“The key thing here is that safety will be guaranteed. Another thing is that the Kaduna State government is equally banking on this event to prove beyond all doubts that Kaduna is not porous, security-wise, as many think. ‘The Armed Forces have done so much to ensure this”.

To prove this would be a tournament that could keep golfers talking for a long time, the club captain disclosed that a week-long activity is being planned.

The action-filled week could see caddies from golf clubs across the country competing in a two-day event. There will be a day of golf clinic for kids before professionals go into a four-day battle. Amateurs are expected to feature in a two-day event.

“We are really poised to make the caddies and the kiddies events a huge success,” Shaibu stressed.

He added: “Caddies and kids are the future of golf in this country and we want to see that they are encouraged. Kids for the clinic will be drawn from the staff college secondary school.

“The clinic will happen on the same day the pros will have their practice day. The idea here is to get the pros around to guide the kids. We are really hoping for a swell week”.