Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said his participation at the just concluded second edition of Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry golf tournament brought him more joy than winning it.
Dogara returned an aggregate score of 62 net to defeat over 160 other golfers to emerge as the overall winner of the one-day event held at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.
The golfers from the electricity industry participated in the tournament, which aimed to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and promote efficient service delivery.
Speaking at the gala night, Dogara said that luck might have played a part in his victory, but he was more excited about participating in the tournament.
“I am excited not because I have won, but because I participated. The joy of golf is not just about participating; if you are not going to win anything, you still gain the benefits of the exercise and the vitamin D if you are playing early in the morning.
“I would say you cannot dismiss the role of luck in sports. I have been playing for some time, in the first edition I came second, and I am happy to be winning today,” he said.
Dogara, however, stressed the need for more investment in the development of golf across the country, in line with international best practices.
He specifically urged the Federal Government to introduce regulations that would mandate corporate organisations to develop and maintain strategic facilities like the IBB golf course.
“I am not saying the government should budget to fix this golf club, but there are companies doing business in Nigeria, making profits in the hundreds of billions.
“It’s not asking too much for the government to say since you have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), contribute here.
“So we can beautify this place (IBB golf course); we can elevate it to the status of St Andrews, the home of golf.
“So that anybody who comes here, or any golfer who visits, will know we are serious and committed, and that Nigeria has really changed for good,” he said.
The former Speaker added that the tournament also served as a relaxed platform for stakeholders to discuss how to find a lasting solution to the ongoing power crises in the country.
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