IBB Golf Club, Abuja Captain wins 2023 Golf Tournament in Cuba; Amb. Okoyen also wins (See pictures)

Members of the IBB Golf Club Abuja, Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, Lagos and 1418 Golf Society, Houston Texas, USA won trophies/awards at the 2023 Golf Tournament hosted by the Embassy of Nigeria in Havana, Cuba at Varadero Golf Club, Cuba between August 3 and 5, 2023.

The current Captain of IBB International Golf & Country Club, Abuja, Dr. Obaleye Olabanjo Johnson, DBA, FCA, HCIB, M.IoD, who was the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, from 2004 – 2021, won the best place of the first category of the tournament. Dr. Johnson is an ardent golfer, who has won numerous prizes and awards while playing golf.

In presenting the award, His Excellency Ambassador Benaoyagha B. M. Okoyen, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, thanked the participants at the tournament, mainly Nigerian golfers in diaspora as well as those from Nigeria, for paying attention to sports development in Nigeria.

The Ambassador explained that the purpose of the event was to expose Nigerian golfers as well as to deepen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Cuba through sports development. Ambassador Okoyen also thanked and appreciated the operations manager, Prof Pedro Choppy Klein and other management/supporting staff of the Varadero Golf Club, Cuba for the professional way the competition was organized.

Earlier, Prof Klein had thanked His Excellency, Ambassador Okoyen, for promoting the robust interaction between Nigeria and Cuba through sports. He recalled that this was the second time Ambassador Okoyen hosted a golf tournament in Varadero, besides hosting other Ambassadors in Cuba and encouraged the relationship to continue.

Dr. Obaleye Olabanjo Johnson, on behalf of participants, thanked both the management of the Varadero Golf Club and the Embassy of Nigeria in Havana for the excellent arrangements made for the tournament and called for more tournaments to be organized for the participation of Nigerian golfers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Oluloye Oluremi Olukoya, a member of Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, Lagos, who is the CEO of Falcon Golf Development Company, Lagos, won the second-best place in the first category, the skill contest award of the longest drive as well as the best gross score in the tournament.

Also, Mr. Sivarasu Sennimalai from 1418 Golf Society, Houston Texas, USA won the 3^rd best place in the first category and Mr. Fela Olawale from the same Club in Houston won the second-best place and the longest drive of the second category of the tournament. The top senior award was won by Mr. Abimbola Shoyoye, a 73-year-old golfer from Atlanta, USA, who is a member of the Association of Nigerian American Golfers (ANAG). The first- and second-best female awards went to Ms. Sarah Bulus Nkwariza of IBB Golf Club and Mrs. Patience Agbiki respectively.

His Excellency, Ambassador Benaoyagha Okoyen won the First place of the Second Category of the tournament and the closest to the pin award along with Mr. Christian Ogbebor from 1418 Golf Society, Houston Texas, USA in two separate holes.