The chairman of Nigeria Golf Tournament Planning Committee, Ben Okoyen has thrown more light on this year’s League of African Ambassadors gathering slated for this Saturday and Sunday, which he said will be a rare opportunity to interact informally through sports.
Ibom Golf & Country Club in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State will host this weekend’s event, which Sports247 gathered will be strictly an informal gathering that will use golf as a rallying point and bridge across all backgrounds of the participants.
Ambassador Okoyen also disclosed that a previously planned fundraising aspect of the event has been cancelled, as the organisers want to drop the money factor, while using golf to boost diplomacy, networking and friendship.
He disclosed this while making a formal presentation of the League of African Ambassadors Golf Tournament’s official goodie bag and souvenirs to former Chief of Army Staff and member of the League’s board of trustees, Lt. Gen. Tukur Y. Buratai (retired) during a courtesy visit.
The chairman explained further that the visit was an opportunity to underline Buratai’s importance to the League of African Ambassadors and note his unifying role within the continent’s diplomatic community, adding that they are all honoured to be organising the event under his tenure.
Okoyen also pointed out that, while the tournament retains its competitive spirit and social appeal, the fundraising component was dropped on the basis of a resolution by the League’s exective board for the event to focus fully on golf as a tool for building friendship.
He expatiated, “As we move forward, following the resolution of the Executive Committee of the League of African Ambassadors, we have also refined the event’s focus by dropping the fundraising component.
“We are repositioning the tournament principally around golf, diplomacy, networking and friendship. We believe golf provides a unique platform for ambassadors, diplomats, government officials, business leaders and friends of Africa to meet informally and strengthen their bonds of cooperation.”
Sports247 reports further that this weekend’s two-day competition will bring together ambassadors, diplomats, government officials, business leaders and friends across fairways, greens and clubhouses, where healthy competition can flow alongside informal interactions.
