The First Lady of Nasarawa Hajia Salifat Abbdulahi Sule, tee off the Nasarawa Golf opens at the State Golf Course at Gandu along Makurdi Road, Lafia
The state First Lady while speaking on the importance of golfing as sports, encouraged women to participate in the game of golf as it has the potential of improving their health and physical well-being through constant movement of the body while swinging, walking around and hitting the golf balls.
She stated this while speaking to reporters shortly after the ceremonial tee off of the second edition of Lafia Golf Club Ladies Open.
Hajiya Salifat who was accompanied to the occasion by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Affairs Aisha Ibrahim Rufai and the wife of the State Accountant General, Maryam Musa Mohammed, emphasized that women should not be limited to being caregivers but should take care of themselves through physical exercises such as golf for optimum productivity at home or in the their respective work places.
“Golf is a very good game especially as you are growing older, you enjoy yourself while playing it, you feel good physically, it strengthens your muscles; I encourage ladies to join the golf club and they will see the difference”
In her remark, the Lady Captain of Lafia Golf Club, Marylinda Ogbole, while enumerating the benefits of golfing to a woman, amongst them strengthening friendship bonds, business contacts, leisure and tourism and most importantly health and physical well-being.
She countered the notion that golf is an elitist game, saying that Lafia Golf Club gives out free training kits to beginners,calling for more attention to be given to the girl child education as educating the girl child amounts to educating the nation and the lack of it spells doom for the future.
She further stated that the game of golf and particularly the lady section is predicated on education and women empowerment.
“They as mothers once they are educated, they will help bring up the children in the right way and if you educate a girl child you are educating the whole society, so I feel that they should not be left out, they should be given that opportunity.”
Also speaking, the first Vice President and incoming President of Lady Golfers Association of Nigeria (LGAN) Dr.Lami Onaya Ahmed, commended the Nasarawa State First Lady for honouring lady Golfers in Nigeria by performing the tee off herself.
She equally appreciated Lafia Golf Club Ladies section for putting up a fantastic second edition of Ladies Open after a wonderful first edition.
“Golf is the game of life, this is the game you can play from age six to 99.99 so long as your legs can carry you, this is the only game you can play in a team, if you play in a team for four hours on the roll what else can you not achieve, so I encourage ladies to come and play and I encourage ladies to please encourage ladies to come and play”
The Ladies Open which commenced on Thursday July 25 will end on Sunday July 28, 2024 with activities slated to take place in and outside the golf course.