IBB golf club crisis: Major stakeholders mediate as members disavow legal action against Wike

The protracted crisis that has plagued the prestigious IBB International Golf and Country Club may soon be resolved following a recent interactive session convened by key stakeholders of the game. The session, initiated by the President of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has been described as a turning point for the sport […]

The protracted crisis that has plagued the prestigious IBB International Golf and Country Club may soon be resolved following a recent interactive session convened by key stakeholders of the game.

The session, initiated by the President of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has been described as a turning point for the sport in the country.

“It is a new dawn for golf. This gathering is a sign of new beginning for golf. As we all know, IB golf course is a reference point and a strong part of golf in Nigeria.

“There have been pockets of crisis in Kano, Lagos, Osun, and now IBB. Every golfer is jealously looked at, and if we don’t manage our affairs well as golfers, we will be ridiculed,” Runsewe stated.

Also speaking at the session, Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and passionate golfer, Gbenga Elegbeleye, issued a strong warning regarding the club’s legal status.

“The government can revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) of IBB. The club belongs to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The CofO may be in our possession but doesn’t mean the club belongs to us.

“I am a sports administrator and when I was DG of the National Sports Commission, the CofO of the national stadium was with us. Did it mean we owned the stadium? Aso Villa has CofO. Does it mean Tinubu will claim ownership of the villa? It is idiotic for those who sued the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Golf Digest has exclusively gathered that no fewer than 2,000 members of the club have signed a petition distancing themselves from a lawsuit, filed by three members of the club against the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. A signature collation center has been established at the practice pitch beside the main bowl of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

The collation exercise, which began on Monday and is set to conclude tomorrow, has already seen several IBB Golf Club members sign in opposition to the court order that led to the club’s closure.

Sources indicate that the signed document will be submitted to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, as part of efforts to reopen the golf course.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier ruled in favour of Ubong Esop Akpan and two other plaintiffs in connection with the ongoing leadership dispute at the club. The court barred the purported trustees appointed by Wike from overseeing the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which had been scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025.