Otukpo Club will produce world golfers – Mark

Speaking at the commissioning of the green golf course and country club, Saint Mark, Akpegede last Friday, Senator Mark said his decision to build the golf course was informed by an unpleasant experience he had some years ago. According to him, on return from self-exile in 1998, he had to travel to Enugu on weekends […]

Speaking at the commissioning of the green golf course and country club, Saint Mark, Akpegede last Friday, Senator Mark said his decision to build the golf course was informed by an unpleasant experience he had some years ago.

According to him, on return from self-exile in 1998, he had to travel to Enugu on weekends to play golf but on one of such journeys, he got stuck with his wife on the road between Enugu and Otukpo for Seven hours.

“We had to go through bush paths and roads that we never knew existed to be able to make it to Otukpo for 2 am on the 25th of that December. After this ordeal, I made up my mind that I must build a Golf Course at Otukpo,” he stated.

Senator Mark therefore commended those who have been able to build the green turf which is today of international standard at Otukpo Golf course.

Also speaking, Minister of Interior Comrade Abbah Moro urged people to see that the world of golf begins in Otukpo and expressed the hope that in the next one decade Otukpo will become a tourism centre in Nigeria and urged all to seize the opportunity of the club to improve their economic fortunes.

Commissioning the Otukpo Golf Course and Country Club, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State said the event has exposed the Otukpo community and the rest of the state to the outside world describing golf as a veritable tool to expose young ones to the international community.

Represented by his deputy, Chief Stephen Lawani, the governor said in recent years the state has done very well in sporting competitions like the just concluded National Sports Festival in Port-Harcourt.

The tee-off for the tournament that followed the commissioning of the golf course was performed by Senator David Mark including other dignitaries like the Managing Director of Media Trust LTD. Abuja, Alhaji Isiaq Ajibola.

Other dignitaries who attended the epoch making event included Director-General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, Otunba Segun Runsewe, General IBM Haruna (rtd) wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark, Bongus Ikwe, members of the National Assembly, ministers, members of the diplomatic community and a host of.