Esimone performs groundbreaking procession of Octagon Twin-Lake Golf Course Club
The Vice-Chancellor, of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Okechukwu has conducted the groundbreaking exhibition of the first-ever university Golf Course named UNIZIK Octagon Twin-Lake Golf Course Club located inside the University Premises.
The 18-hole Golf Course Daily Sun learnt is part of the vision of “Project 200” of the Esimone administration towards projecting the University to limelight, encouraging the growth of the game of Golf in the state and unitying the town and gown through the beautiful game.
UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone in a remark described the moment as a dream come true.
He revealed that hitherto, he had mapped out the location of the golf course on the UNIZIK Master Plan while engaging the Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor (SAVC) on Land and Natural Resources matter, Prof. Peter Nnabude who played a pivotal role in the sub-structure of the project as well as the Director of the UNIZIK Business Ventures, Dr. Uche Ngenegbo for his immense contributions to the project in the area of sourcing for funding.
Prof. Esimone opined that the project is being executed with funds sourced outside as the University does not have the funding in execution of the golf course project.
The Chief Executive of the institution thanked the management team, Governing Council and the body of the University community for turning out in their numbers to witness a historic moment in the existence of the institution.
In his address, the Facility Coordinator and Director, UNIZIK Business Ventures, Dr. Uche Ngenegbo stated that the institution has marched beyond the dimness of night of long forgotten hope to have a Golf Course created at UNIZIK in Anambra State into open day of renewed hope.
Ngenegbo disclosed that the UNIZIK Octagon Twin Lake Golf Course has a standard 18 holes Golf Course private membership club.
Ngenegbo eulogized the Vice-Chancellor for his dream, innovation and creative direction of purpose in achieving the project.
On his part, the Captain of the Golf Course club, Dr. Peters Kalu informed that UNIZIK will be the first and only University in Nigeria to have a Golf Course inside of it all made possible by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Esimone. He further disclosed that the course that came close is the course at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Edo State and Smokin Hills Golf Resort located at Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State.
Kalu disclosed that the hole number one on the Gold Course has been named after the Vice-Chancellor even as he described Golf as the only game that is played in the natural environment.
The CEO Juhel Nigeria Ltd, Dr. Eric Okoye stated that golfing is one thing lacking in the state and it is quite funny that this is coming up as the first public golf course that Anambra is having despite the fact that core golfers in the federation are indigenes of Anambra who occupy top positions in most golf courses.
Chief Okoye described the moment as an exciting one while eulogizing UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Esimone ensuring that the dream of establishing a golf course became a reality under his administration.
