Uko Okon
The city of Uyo is set to host an amateur golf tournament to attract over 300 golfers from across the country and the African continent.
The event, slated to kick off on June 5th, promises to be a thrilling display of golfing prowess. It will take place at the prestigious Ibom Golf Course and the ARISE Golf Course, respectively.
The event, expected to bring together golf enthusiasts vying for top honours, is organised by Ibom Golf and Country Club and sponsored by Ship Afrika, Hensek Engineering, Bulletin, e-Transact, among others.
The Planning Committee Chairman of the tournament, Mr. Usenobong Akpabio, who disclosed this during a press conference in Uyo on Friday, christened the tournament as Ibom Open.
Akpabio expressed happiness over the golfers’ unprecedented zeal for the tournament, adding that over 300 golfers had already registered within 48 hours of the registration portal being opened.
He maintained that the golf tournament remains a vehicle to promote tourism and boost the state’s economy.
Akpabio stressed that the 2-day tournament which will commence on 5th June will provide direct jobs to over 300 persons who will be acting as caddies during the event
“In totality, this is what akwa Ibom state needs. It encourages tourism and through golf, we can achieve this. Between January and now, the number of people that have thronged into the course to play golf is enormous”
“With the addition of the ARISE golf course to the Ibom golf course, Akwa Ibom is gradually becoming a golfing destination in West Africa and the Ibom Open has come for that purpose”, Usenobong added.
The Captain of Ibom Golf Club, Mr. Isua Archibong equally expressed hope that Ibom Open will boost the economic status of the State as the event will witness influx of reputable personalities.
“We are promoting tourism and you need instruments like the golf course. January and May we had a lot of events. The first was the captain’s inaugural match which attracted creme-de-la-creme in the golfing world . We need tourism as major drivers of the economy and by so doing, the economy of the state will be better off”.
The representative of Ibom Air, Mrs Aniekan Essienete said that the company is ready to hand over return tickets to 3 overall winners of the tournament.
