Akin Ayomide
The FirstBank Group has reiterated it’s commitment to the development of sports in Nigeria, describing it as a catalyst for unity and societal growth.
The Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, said this while answering questions from newsmen at the closing of the Python Golf Club 2025 Amateur Open Championship held in Port Harcourt.
“At FirstBank, we support sports across the country. We believe that sports can play a significant role in nation-building and societal development,” Alebiosu said.
He also highlighted the bank’s extensive support for various sports other than golf including football, basketball, tennis, and polo.
“We (First Bank) have a football academy, a football team playing in the league, and a basketball team that has won trophies. We also sponsor polo and other sports, “ Alebiosu said.
“FirstBank has been supporting various sports as part of its broader commitment to promoting societal development and nation-building.
The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Dr. Raphael Onoshakpo, described the event which held from October 13 to 19, as a resounding success, saying the tournament has attracted over 300 players across the country and beyond.
Onoshakpo attributed the growing interest in golf to the lockdown period, which saw a surge in people taking up the sport.
He noted that the Python Golf Club has become a major hub for golfing, with a full training facility that has churned out over 200 new golfers in the past.
Alebiosu also said golf is not only for the rich, however he noted that the cost of playing golf can be a significant barrier for many people, saying
“Golf is not about being rich. I started playing golf when I was a nobody. The basic thing is joining the club, and some of us started with second-hand clubs.”
“It’s not as cheap as football. The entry fee might not be for the poor, so we don’t have many people coming into it,” he said.
“Some people think it’s not physically strict enough but people don’t understand the stretch. I call it elite farming – you know how farmers feel when they go to farm, the same thing.”
Alebiosu also announced that FirstBank would be hosting the 65th edition of its Lagos Open golf tournament on November 20 saying, “It’s about sport and golf. At FirstBank, we support sports across the country and I am sure you have seen us everywhere.
“Today is about golf, next week Sunday it will be about polo in Kaduna. We have been doing that for over a century.”
The seven-day competition, attracts over 400 golfers and their families from across Nigeria.