Osakwes donate caddies’ shed to IBB Golf Club

IBB Golf and Country Club Captain, Mr. Cecil Ezem Osakwe and his wife, at the weekend, donated a modern caddies’ shed to the club, as their contribution to the development of the sport.

The caddy shed, built as a ‘Captain Cup 22 project,’ has given a new, beautiful look to the green and 18-hole course.

Speaking while unveiling the facility, Osakwe said he decided to honour the caddies because most of the time golfers are praised for their achievements, with little or no consideration given their faithful caddies.

Handing over the shed to the club’s new captain, Dr. Banjo Obaleye, who was supported by the Board of Trustees (BOT), members of the club and caddies, Osakwe said he was motivated to execute the project for the benefit of the caddies, who are regarded as lower level people in golf community.

“The caddies are usually the lower level of golfers, but they are ones who make it happen, help us carry our golf bags and cards. So, when I was given this project, the fact that it is going for people at this level was my strong motivation,” he said.

Osakwe, a Harvard-trained lawyer and real estate developer, said the maintenance of the edifice would not be a problem for the users due to the quality of the work.

“First, I’m a builder, but a lawyer by profession and I am into real estate development. I like anything that has to do with me to standout. I won’t go into how much it cost, but the good thing is that because of the quality of the work, it will not be easy to damage, no matter how irresponsible you are,” he said.

Thrilled by the project, chairman, BOT, General I.B.M. Haruna (rtd), showered encomiums on the Osakwes for showing love and focusing on the lower level people in the society, who, he said, are the often forgotten majority.

Haruna said: “Glory be to God, the king and the maker, who has created us, who takes care of us, sees us to places and those who see our need. He uses them to provide those needs. We are grateful to them and we thank God that we are making progress.

“It is difficult to think about the wellbeing of the lower people in the society, who are often the majority. The caddies are the ones who carry our bags and clubs, and are aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. So, I thank the past captain and Osakwe for thinking toward the comfort of the lower level in our means and building this for them.”

The club captain, Obaleye and past captain, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, also thanked the Osakwes for the honour done to the club.

Obaleye said: “When you see a man of quality, you see his hand work. When he made up his mind to do this, he went to Julius Berger to construct this. You can see the roof and floor well laid. Thank you Mr and Mrs Osakwe.”

Senator Anosike, during whose tenure as captain of the club the project was initiated, said the caddies are one of the biggest representatives of the different job clusters that golf creates and their role is strategic.

nosike said: “Our goal was to communicate to them that we care about them by virtue of being around the game and we thank Osakwe for perfectly demonstrating our love and care to the caddies.”