I single-handedly designed the Dutse Golf Course – Emir of Dutse

Most of the people who visited the Dutse royal golf course described it as one of the best they have seen anywhere. What motivated you to build a golf course in Dutse? His Highness, Alhaji Dr. Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi: Well, fisrt of all I want to say that once you have  interest in something, you […]

Most of the people who visited the Dutse royal golf course described it as one of the best they have seen anywhere. What motivated you to build a golf course in Dutse?

His Highness, Alhaji Dr. Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi: Well, fisrt of all I want to say that once you have  interest in something, you can excel in doing it. I wasn’t a golfer ten years ago. I developed interest in golf through my good friends the Emirs of Suleja, Kazaure, Birnin Gwari and someone who inspired me to get into the sport. Initially I was reluctant but when I eventually developed the interest, I found it difficult to travel all the way from here to Kano or Kaduna every weekend to play golf. So I decided to establish this golf course. This golf course was established from a virgin land which is really very difficult in term of the topographical layout. It is clayish and hardly anything grows here. So from the substantial effort I put in, we were able to borrow top soil from far distances to bring here. We  have been able to plant tree and develop it to the level it is now. I am grateful to hear that people say it is one the best courses they have ever seen. I put a lot of effort at it; I studied other golf courses around the world to know their challenges. I singlehandedly designed this golf course without involving any professional. I did it off head. I borrow some ideas from other golf courses around the world. May be that is why people find something interesting here.

Senator Kabir Gaya, an architect, was so impressed with the design of the course that he even said they as architect won’t mind making you a honorary member considering the quality of the facility. Did you study architecture at some point in time?

Sanusi: I am not an architect. I am an Economist by profession and a teacher. During our days we don’t have career guidance and counseling that was how I ended up reading Accounting and Economics. When I graduated, I discovered I was not interested in the course I studied.

I have always been interested in designing things. All my houses I design them. Even my house in Abuja I design it. I only got a stamp of an architect to approve it. This club house, when I designed it, the carpenters didn’t know how to roof it. They attempted it but they messed it up. I had to redesign it, mould it and show it to them how to do it. I just pick interest in architecture and that is why the golf course has some architectural touch. This golf course is occupying 95 hectares of land within the fence and then we have another 25 hectare for the golf village. It is a total of about 125 hectares.

Some people belief that golf is a game for the elite. Do you agree with it?

Sanusi: No. I always tell people that golf is a game for everybody. It is a game for the rich and poor. It is a game for the young and old. Because golf is misunderstood, people think it is a game for the rich.

When you see the young pros that have won here, none of them are elite. Some of them are secondary school leavers, university graduates that have no job. We want to encourage our young people to participate in golf. This is the most paying sport in the world. Look at the money Dubai is offering the best 15 pros in the world to play there. I think the smallest amount they will take home is 15 million dollars. So we want to encourage Nigerians to play golf so that they will bring glory to our country.

Most commentators said that this massive golf course is going to open Jigawa to the world.

How do you tackle accommodation challenge in the state capital which is a major problem?

Sanusi: This is true. We are trying our best. By next year insha Allah we will turn this golf course into a green course because that is the only thing that is left. Water is available so we can irrigate throughout the year. Other infrastructures too are available. If you look outside the golf course, you will see another fence. That is where we want to establish the golf village. It is going to be a set of chalet which will provide the golfers some low-cost accommodation.

I understand that government has provided land just close to the golf course for another hotel to be built there. So insha Allah in the next two years, this accommodation problem will be a thing of the past.

Is this tournament going to be an annual event?

Sanusi: Yes. In fact one of the reasons why we were unable to hold this tournament last year was because we are working on the golf course and the club house. Now that we have finish the golf course and club house, we want to have an international tournament next year where we will bring participant from West Africa and some other countries. It is our hope that weekly and monthly event will continue so that we continue to attract people to the golf course.

What arrangement do you have to encourage people in Dutse to play golf?

Sanusi: In this golf club, we have free kits for those who want to learn. We want to liaise with Ministry of Sport so that we encourage young people to participate in golf. We want to catch them young through schools. We want to also see how to attract even the school leavers to take up the sport. If you start it young, it becomes part of you. We have also discussed with the governor on how to link with the Ministry of Sport on this issue. Fortunately, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, has a golf course in Otukpo and he has a training facility there. He has offered us some slot to bring our children for training.

So, some these unemployed youth would be taken there for training.  There is free accommodation and feeding while the training last.

On a lighter notes sir, this is the first time we are seeing Emirs without their robes and protocol, mixing freeing with the people. Is golf a way for the Emirs to unwind?

Sanusi: You see one beautiful thing about golf is that it brings everybody together regardless of class or status. You can see Emirs walking freely among the people cracking jokes with caddies and all that. Emirs too are human. They need some exercise after all the long hours of sitting down and attending to people. Golf provide them that opportunity. Golf is also an avenue for people to see that Emirs are not inaccessible after all.

Where do you want to see the Dutse royal golf course in the next ten years?

Sanusi: If am alive, I want to see this golf course become the best in Nigeria if not in Africa. I want to see this golf course host international tournaments that will bring golfers all over the world. This is my dream.