The Golf Club of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State, during the week organised a one-day amateur tournament in honour of its deceased Director-General, Professor Habu Shaibu Galadima, who passed on recently after a brief illness.
Galadima was the grand patron of the club before his demise.
Speaking briefly before the tournament proper, Governor Simon Bako Lalong, who was kitted for the encounter, lamented that Galadima could not witness the fulfillment of the promise he made to the Club.
“I promised NIPSS Golf Club something (unnamed) during my first coming as governor. I am going to fulfill it this time during my second coming as the governor of the state. I don’t want the players to be playing with brown colours instead of the green,” Lalong said.
The governor recalled that the late director general started playing golf well before his demise, as a result of the encouragement he received from other golfers, adding that it was golfers’ duty to encourage other people to love the sport.
Also speaking on the occasion, the Acting Director-General of NIPSS, Brigadier-General Chukwuemeka Udaya (Rtd), eulogised Galadima, who he described as a colossus and a fine gentleman.
Captain of NIPSS Golf Club, Dr. Jacob Tsado, thanked Governor Lalong for honouring their invitation, noting with joy that the governor arrived in the state late the previous night from Abuja.
Lalong teed-off the game by 9.40 a.m. that day followed by NIPSS Acting Director General, golf captain, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Yakubu Dati and the Lady Captain.
Explaining the game to the audience, tournament secretary, Tizhe Jerry, said there were five categories, including Guest men, Veterans, NIPSS Staff, Ladies, Participants and the Sponsor (Lalong).
Expressing his delight at the turn out for the event, Jerry said it was a great opportunity to have the governor to tee off the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 43 participants of the Institute.
The Ladies Golf Participants had earlier teed off by 6.30 a.m., while their male counterparts teed off by 7.15 a.m.
At the end of the tournament, all participants went home with gifts, while the governor got the prestigious Award of Excellence for his contribution to the development of golf in Plateau and in the country as a whole.