Abbo, Usman emerge winners of 2024 IBB past captains/past lady captains special tourney

Hamid Abbo and Adekunbi Usman have emerged the winners of the 2024 IBB Past Captains/Past Lady Captains Special Appreciation Kitty held at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

The tournament, organised by the IBB Ladies Golf Section, had no fewer than 200 golfers competed for honours.

Abbo played 37 stable ford points to clinch the highest prize in the past Captain’s category, while Usman played 37 points to emerge the winner in the past lady Captain’s category.

Usman, who was a lady captain of the club in 2015, while speaking with Sporting Tribune, said she gave her and won against all odds.

“When I started, I never knew that I was going to come out tops at the end. My first, second and third hole was good. But when I got to the fourth hole, it became a different thing, and I told myself that there was no need to feel any pressure.

“I chose rather to just enjoy the game and continue, and that was what took me through from hole four up to hole 18. So, I was so surprised to hear my name this night as the winner,” she said.

In the Auxiliary award category, D. Mamza won the prize for the longest drive ladies with a distance of 159 metres, while Adamu Salisu won the longest drive men with a distance of 252 metres. Faridah Wada won the nearest the pin ladies prize with a distance of 8.8 feet on hole 12, while Bamidele Obiniyi won the nearest the pin prize for men with a distance of 3.1 feet.

Lady Captain of the Club and host of the event, Dame Julie Donli, said the decision to celebrate the past Captains was borne out of the need to appreciate those who had made an impact and left an indelible mark in the club. She said the Ladies Golf Section Committee felt it was imperative to celebrate the past Captains and past Lady Captains of the club.

“We are building from where they stopped. There are a lot of things that we learnt from them and they still give us advice from time to time. When we are little bit confused about one or two things, we go to them and they are always there to guide and lead us.

“People like that are very special to us and so we decided that it was time for us to celebrate our past captains and past lady captains and that was informed our decision,” Donli said.

Captain of the club, Ibrahim Babayo, said the idea behind the Kitty was to appreciate the past Captains and past Lady Captains for their selfless service to the club.

“As you know, any service rendered by any Executive member of this club is voluntary. There is no remuneration whatsoever for your services rendered to the club. This is our own little way of showing appreciation,” Babayo said.

A total of 26 past Captains and 24 past Lady Captains were recognised and honoured for their various contributions towards the growth and development of the club.

The late captains of the club include Brigadier General John Shagaya, the Foundation Captain, Col. J.Y. Madaki (retd), Dr Sheriff Sanni, Chief Luke Okpuonu and Mr Andrew Millward.

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