A lot of people have not heard about golfing in the Zuma Rock but AVM Toni Adokwu is one of the Engineers of that pretty course Adokwu refers to as the best kept secret of Nigeria.
AVM Adokwu used to be the Commandant of the Airforce Training Institute in Kaduna. This man of decency, bravery and compassion was even forced into the game of golf by the former Senate President and a kinsman, David Mark.
When Adokwu hit the course, he showed uncommon passion to that point he regretted not coming to the game early in his life. He threw himself into the game and started stealing ‘time’ from his heavy schedule. He even came into the game drawing money from his wallet. He was sponsoring golf tourneys and even moved further to sponsor some eight Caddies on their way to Professional golf path.
AVM Adokwu has now retired to a postcard house in Kubwa, Abuja. He now has all the time to play golf and he plays in three Clubs… The IBB Club, the one at the Airforce Base and yes, this one that is dear to his heart, the one at the famous Zuma Rock where he is a foundation member. He loves this clb with passion and he talks glowingly about it.
“I am free from work now and the game of golf is keeping me busy and healthy” Adokwu said. “While in Kaduna, I was dragged to the beautiful game. But my job was not allowing me time to play as much as I wanted. I now play freely and I have discovered a course that gives me ultimate joy. That is the Zuma Rock golf Club.
“This Club is a 9- hole course run by a Syrian Company. We have some 97 members and I am proud to be a foundation member here. The course is lovely and covered with fauna and other several flowers. Anywhere you move on the fairways, you see antelopes but you are not allowed to hunt them. Although the course still plays on ‘Brown Putting Surface’, the whole place smells roses. As I speak with you, plans are under way to construct the back nine of the course so it can be a full blown 18 holes.
AVM Adokwu used the moment to comment on Nigerian golf Professionals, some of the he has sponsored to greatness.
Hear him: “Nigerian golf Pros are excellently gifted. They can match whatever Pros abroad. But we have attitude problems in this country. We lack organization. We have the Nigeria Golf Federation and yet we are not going to feature any Nigerian in Golf at the Olympics. We have the Professional Golfers Association and yet a huge talent like Ochei Odoh is wasting away in Nigeria. I tell you, if Ochei is well handled, he can confront Jason Day, the present World No 1 in Golf.
“My anger is if you talk to the NGF and PGAN how best to go about their trades, they bring up talks about money. I ask, do you stay in one place and money will just jump on you. I mean these bodies should just wake up to their duties. They should be crafty about their jobs and work out ways to lure corporate bodies into their activities. Golf is flourishing in Nigeria. Come to a new course in Zuma rock and discover the boom”.
