Folasade Olateju: IBB Ladies open golf tourney celebration of women in sports

The Lady Captain of the IBB International Golf & Country Club, Abuja, Mrs Folasade Olateju has said the 25th edition of the IBB Ladies Open Golf championship is a celebration of women who are excelling in sports. In this exclusive interview with Trust Sports during the tee-off of the Championship on Thursday at the lush-green course of the prestigious golf club, Olateju said her drive is to bring in more young women and kids into the game to take over from the aging ones. She also spoke elaborately on why couples should play golf together.

What would you say is the main purpose of this tournament and as the Lady Captain, how happy are you to maintain the legacy set by your predecessors?

The end game is to pick a champion for both local and international players here. And it fills me with intense pride to witness the convergence of women golfers from different parts of the world to exhibit their talents and their passion for the game.

What is that special theme attached  to this very tournament which is the 25th edition?

This tournament of golf wear for women is not just an event on our calendar; it is a celebration of women in sports, a testament to the enduring spirit of competition, and a platform for camaraderie and friendship to flourish. We are honouring the traditions of this remarkable sport while also embracing the advancements and inclusivity that have made golf a truly global phenomenon.

Golf is an interesting game but it is seen in most quarters as an elitist sport that accommodates more men than women. Are there conscious efforts to bring more women into the game?

We keep encouraging women and we will not stop encouraging them. We have what is called the women’s golf day where women all over the world are invited, whether players or non-players, to come together once a year and be educated on golf.

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Are the kids and children left out?

No, they are not. The younger ones are more encouraged to play the game and we let them know the advantages and benefits of ladies playing golf.As you are aware, we have a children development clinic for children below 18 years. They are trained by pros for about three weeks during summer holidays. They are coached and golf introduced to them. We also have what we call Junior Golfers who come together, house them for four days where they will play. When you see their swing, we adults marvel and that is what we want to see. We want to see the younger ones, our children being better than us and taking over from us.

During the tee-off, it was mentioned your husband is an avid golfer. It seems you, your husband and children all play the game. Why this love for golf in your family?

Actually, my husband introduced us to the game. He was the first to start playing the game, then he brought me into it. When we saw the advantages and benefits and the children saw the way we enjoyed the game, the four of them naturally picked interests in the game.

You just mentioned that there are advantages and benefits of playing golf. Could you mention some of them?

There are so many. As a married lady and counsellor, it is always good for you and your spouse to play the same game, create interest in the same game as it helps in the overall growth of the family. It is difficult to stay with your spouse for four hours, doing what? You can’t talk for four hours sitting down at home, the husband will not even stay. But on the golf course, both of you can stay on the course for four, five hours encouraging, admiring yourself and it keeps the relationship, marriage going and alive. For the family as a whole, after playing, we talk about what happened on each hole. Just imagine the whole family comes back home and each discusses what happens on each hole, how each played and this binds the family together.

As a mother, a golfer and lady captain, what role are you personally playing to bring in more kids to replace the older golfers who will one day leave the stage?

My tenure is almost ending but we have had the children’s clinic where we have over 200 kids who were taught the rudiments of golfing . We use Tiger Woods as the prime example who started from his youth. Most of us started as adults and we are only playing it for pleasure but to play at a professional level, you have to start early in life. I believe so much in catching them young.

How supportive has the Nigeria Golf Federation as well as the sports ministry been during your tenure?

Oh, they have been wonderful. Just by the entrance, you saw some exhibitions of arts and culture. That is courtesy the federation president in the person of Otunba Segun Runsewe. They are encouraging us and we work together. We work well with the sports ministry as well as other organs of golf.

On a final note, what message do you have for those who supported you in this journey?

I would like to express my profound gratitude to my club executive, our sponsors, volunteers and staff whose unwavering support and hard work have made this event possible. Your contributions behind the scene ensured that every detail is meticulously attended to, allowing our competitors to shine on the course. Thank you.