Cameroon, Nigeria deepen ties through Friendship Golf Tournament.

From Thursday May 18 to Saturday May 19, golf players from both countries competed in a tournament at the Yaoude Golf Club in the Bastos neigbourhood.

The two teams were tied on 22 points at the end of the friendship event.

Team Cameroon led by FECAGOLF president, Lothin Elessa, emerged victorious on match day one, after defeating the Nigerian selection by 8-6 points. 

The Cameroonians, however failed to maintain the form in the last two days of the event. 

Nigeria put up a robust fight during the second day of play and outplayed Cameroon by 8-5 points.

The visitors consolidated their lead on the final match day winning by14-13 points. The joint scores between both clubs after the three match days stood at 22-22 points.

Bold step in dynamising golf in Cameroon, Nigeria

Golf as a sport has been practiced in Cameroon for years with a number of clubs in existence.

Despite the practice of the discipline in the Central African country, golf is still being seen by many as a high-class sport reserved for the rich.

This explains the reason why the sport has not really gained grounds in the country. 

It is in this light that Cameroon and Nigeria through their golf federations are using the friendship tournament to popularise the sport.

FECAGOLF president, Lothin Elessa who has become renowned for promoting golf in Cameroon, notably through the annual Open Golf Charity Lothin Elessa, told reporters that the initiative will help both countries share their experiences.

“Nigeria has a bigger number of people; more than one million persons, playing golf unlike us in Cameroon who have just a few persons for now. This is an opportunity to tap from Nigeria and develop the game back home through our brothers from Nigeria who want to invest in the area,” the FECAGOLF boss said. 

He said the federation is aiming to achieve the feat through projects like joint venture engagements in the creation of golf course institutions and more. 

“We hope to do that by developing private golf courses in Cameroon in joint venture movements. The amount of private golf courses in Cameroon is very small which is hindering the growth of the sport. We are focusing on making Cameroonians develop an interest in sports and join these facilities,” Lothin Elessa continued.

Wooing investors

According to Nigerian team captain, Julius Faidairo, the partnership between the two federations exhibited via the friendship tournament, is also aimed at wooing sponsors to invest in developing the sport. 

“In our delegation, we have some of the biggest players in the field of Real Estate in Nigeria. We also have the biggest investors in the oil industry in the whole of Africa and several others. With these individuals already on our side as potential partners, we aim to have sponsors who will accompany us in attaining our goal,” Faidairo stated. 

The Yaounde Friendship Golf Tournament brought together several major sports administrators and diplomats. 

Amongst them were the Nigeria High Commissioner to Cameroon, Abayomi Gabriel Olosikan, and the president of the Cameroon Olympic and Sports Committee who doubles as head of the Confederation of African Athletics, Col Kalkaba Malboum. 

The authorities all described sports as a huge uniting and business tool between Cameroon and Nigeria. 

The event which held on the sidelines of the May 20 celebration, was also an opportunity for Nigeria to commune with Cameroon on its National Day.

The second edition of the Friendship Golf Tournament is expected to hold in Nigeria in the weeks ahead.