Excitement is bubbling in the air as Nigeria’s top-flight golf course, Arsenal Golf and Country Club House is set to be commissioned in a grand style, Silvernews.com.ng reports.
This Saturday, Nigerians from all walks of life will gather at the Arsenal Golf and Country Club House as the latest state-of-the-art club house will officially be opened.
Speaking ahead of the epoch-making event, major sponsor behind the building of the club house, and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Eze Raphael Ekezie expressed joy that the years of hard work and investment is finally becoming a reality.
Ekezie rolled out the steps he took financially towards ensuring the betterment of the club house adding that public spirited individuals also contributed their quota financially to the project.
His words: “My happiness has no limit when it comes to here. Like I keep telling everybody, in Owerri most of us have no other place rather than Arsenal Golf and Country Club. That’s the only place we relax. All the dream we have about being able to come here, have a restaurant, bar and lounge is already achieved.
“I am very happy and this golf course is populated with people who have public spirit and they have to contribute to what we are doing. That’s how we were able to achieve it. I thank everybody who made contributions to the building of this club house and I wish the best for them.
“I have been in Oil and Gas. I asked myself that this is where I want to spend much of my time and golf is my passion. I came out here and saw an expanse of land acquired by the Army. It was supposed to be a golf course and there was nothing golf in it. I put in everything I have, I went to the United States and brought all the machines and everything you see here.
“Everybody contributed to supplement what I have done and that’s why I am grateful that everybody loves this place. No individual can do it. The Army did what they can do and I am grateful for that.”
Also, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State, Donald Chika Nwaigwe, SAN, spoke about the opening of the club house.
“I see it as a fulfilment of a dream that other minds and thinking won’t have considered possible but sincerity and desire, believing in God’s faithfulness has brought us where we are today.
“We got to the major vital levels that person like the Governor considered it and find it to be a good outing that private citizens have undertaken for themselves for every person in the State. I am happy that my dream has come to reality and I am expecting a good outing.”
In the same vein, former Captain of the golf course, Clifford Ojiakor stated that the club house is strategically placed in an environment that is secured to host and accommodate visitors.
He said: “I was captain when we started the club house building and I left as captain when we completed the building and today we have a new captain who is very appreciative of what we did during our regime. We are very set to open the club house. Imo is known as a home of hospitality.
“This place will serve golfers and serve our guest to explore more on the game of golf. We are indeed grateful for those who were part from the beginning, the Brigade Commander who laid the foundation stone. We are grateful to our Chairman, Board of Trustees, Eze Ugo Raphael Ekezie, who threw his benevolence, restored this place to a playable golf course. His benevolence to this place is second to none and has spent well over N500m to make this course playable.
“We have other members of the BOT, who donated unreservedly to ensure that we are here celebrating today. This is communal effort. Our immense gratitude goes to Governor Hope Uzodinma. He made a commitment and brought all the golfers to come and play in our Arsenal. He made a pledge which has helped us to keep up this place.
“The club house has locker rooms, bathrooms and toilets. It’s a place for relaxation and home away from home. We are indeed happy to achieve this feat.
“The major challenge we have is the self-inflicted downturn, the very fear of insecurity whereby people who will want to come to Imo and spend their money are fearful of the insecurity situation but here in Arsenal, we are lucky.
“Our landlords are the military. We never had any incident of kidnap or theft around here. This is a very secured environment. We have hosted big tournaments where we have other players come from all over Africa to play and we have never had any security breach.”
Current captain of the club house, Commodore Ogechi Iwu, rtd said: “All members are excited and we are happy that finally our club house is set for further functions. We are happy and appreciate members of BOT and other members who worked assiduously to make sure it is a success. We are here to celebrate and have a tournament to commission the club house.”
