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Gakji Shipi: We want TY Buratai Golf Club to be among the best in Nigeria

The Vice-captain of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (TYB) International Golf Resort and Country Club Abuja, Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd) has said the dream of…

The Vice-captain of General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (TYB) International Golf Resort and Country Club Abuja, Brigadier General Gakji Shipi (rtd) has said the dream of the founding fathers is to make the club to be one of the best in the country. In this interview with Trust Sports, the Directing Staff at Army War College Nigeria, an avid golfer spoke on his involvement with the sport, how money was raised for the construction of TYB Golf Club as well as the irresistible aura of the edifice.

When did you start playing golf and what was your motivation?

Thank you very much for having me with you this afternoon. I was close to golf very early but young men in our time looked at golf as a game for old people. So I started with basketball, squash and volleyball but later on, I began to play golf due to some circumstances. I had medical issues, so I was stopped from engaging in strenuous sporting activities. And when I was serving at Jaji, I used to exercise by walking and there is no way you will walk inside Jaji Cantonment that you won’t pass through the golf course. I realised that if golf entails walking and the exercise I do is walking, then I should play golf. I started in 2011 and funny enough, I had already had golf kits. So I picked my kits, got to the club and engaged a coach. And I tell you, one of my regrets is that I didn’t start playing golf early enough. I blame the older generation who didn’t do enough to make us understand that golf is not for old people. Although I came into the game by accident, I really enjoy playing it. Any day I don’t play golf, it is as if my life is not complete.

Although you started late, what is your aspiration as a golfer?

For now, I play to improve my game on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any chance for me to become a professional golfer. All I focus on now is to get people to start earlier so that they don’t suffer the same fate with me. So I do all I can to encourage young people who are interested in the game to start early. One of the things that keep people away from the game is the misconception that golf is for rich people.

What is your vision for TYB International Golf and Country club?

Actually, I am the Vice-captain. Our captain, a very amiable gentle man, a hard worker and a goal getter, Major General IS Ali, recently got posted to Jos. He is really busy with his present assignment that’s why as his Vice-captain, I have to step up and fill the gap pending when he returns. Our vision is to make the Tukur Yusufu Buratai (TYB) International Golf Resort and Country Club one of the best in Nigeria, without taking it out of the reach of anyone. We have one of the most affordable registration fees in Nigeria and at the same time we offer fantastic facilities like the fairway, greens and so on.

How was money raised for the project?

Let me say that the former Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai (rtd) is a very visionary leader. Whenever he has a vision, he has a very powerful way of selling it to his subordinates. It was the same with this project. Before we knew what was happening, all of us were ready to fly with the vision that brought to life this golf club. He first sold the vision to his officers and the reception was tremendous. We contributed money based on our ranks. We didn’t include the soldiers. So from a minimum contribution of N40,000 upward, we were able to raise about N128m for the project. After we contributed, the Life Patron, General Buratai continued to augment and support the project based on some of the needs we had.

What is the membership of the club like? Is it open to everyone?

Our membership is open to everybody. We have members cutting across all the services like the Navy and Air Force. Last month, the Federal Road Safety came and bought a hole which is dedicated to them. In addition, they applied for corporate membership which we have given them. So they have corporate membership for 25 FRSC officers. The club is open to everybody. It may interest you to know that even NNPC have approached us for corporate membership for their staff. Already, we have more than 20 to 30 NNPC staff of NNPC as our members. The Judiciary is another arm of government where we have a high number of members. It is open but we are still jealously guiding membership for the Nigeria Army personnel. We also have a huge female membership in our club. We have a Ladies Section under a Lady Captain. It is a vibrant section. As a matter of fact, they are planning to have Ladies Open. Recently, there was one in Lafia. So our ladies are also planning something similar.

To what extent has TYB Golf and Country Club attracted Army personnel to the sport?

Truly the response from personnel is really much. Golf is not new to our officers. Almost all the military barracks in Nigeria have golf courses. It is the soldiers that we are trying to introduce to the game. But the proximity of the TY Buratai golf course to the barracks has helped in attracting a lot of them. They also pay membership fees based on their ranks but they receive equal treatment.

What plans do you have for maintenance of this edifice?

This is a very germane question. Due to the nature of the game, it is hard to find people with the technical knowledge of maintaining such a facility. So we made sure that all the administrative staff in the golf club are golfers. We got golfers from all over the army and posted them here. They know what the game is all about. Any other person we are bringing is going to learn from them. This is how we are maintaining the golf course and other facilities.

How much has the Nigerian Army contributed to the development of the game of golf in the country?

If there is any organisation in Nigeria that has done so much to enhance the game of golf in the country, it is the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian Army has done so well for golf. Like I said earlier, there is hardly any military barracks without a golf course which is open to everyone. The Nigerian Army has played a leading role in providing golf courses.

How cordial is the relationship between TY Buratai Golf club and IBB Golf and Country Club?

When we were going into this project, we understood that we didn’t need any rivalry. If we believe in the same thing, there shouldn’t be any rivalry. We should all help one another. IBB Golf Club is in a class of its own. Despite that, we have a very good working relationship with them. And their members see us as complimenting their efforts. They don’t see us as rivals in any way. When we have some serious technical issues, we go there and they release their staff to us. Whenever their course is flooded in the rainy season, you see their members coming over to our club and our doors are always open to them. And the gentlemen that they are, they don’t try to take undue advantage of us. So we have a very cordial relationship.

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