Sports
Golf: Olapade, Okoko reign supreme at Lakowe Classic
Nigeria ‘s ace golfer last Sunday, September 28, won the professional round of the 2025 Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic with an impressive ten-under par score in 54 holes to win the event.
Golf Manager of Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate, Femi Olagbenro, said Olapade had a brilliant spell at the event and came close to breaking the course’s 54-hole record held by Vincent Torgah.
“I believe every player showing up at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club puts in an extra effort to match the pedigree of the course and the tough field that is always on parade during at each Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic event.”
The 2025 event paraded some of the best professional players across West Africa, including Emos Korblah and Barry Yaw from Ghana, Oche Odoh, Kamalu Bako, Gift Willy, Godwin Okoko, Michael Ubi, and Francis Epe. This year’s event is supported by Oando Nigeria, GAC Motors, Providus Bank, ARM Holding Company, Mixtafrica, Newmark, International Breweries, were among others.
Olapade rounds were 69, 65, and 72 for the three days to beat Korblah with a five-stroke margin and pocket the 5 million naira purse and an additional ARM champion bonus of 2.5 million totalling 7.5 million for his victory.
“This is a very satisfying win, given the effort I have put into my game in the past few months. I have just come back from a training round in Kenya. It’s been a very challenging routine, which is why this is satisfying. I want to thank everyone who has supported me this while, and believe in me.”
Youngster Godwin Okoko, also made the winner’s list with a third-place finish in the professional round while also leading his amateur team members to be crowned the Team Event winners. The members included Ikechukwu Boniface, David Maji, and Frances Omaruaye.
In the Team Event, Kingsley Oparaku led Roland Alexander, Terry Paul and Abe Ayodeji to the runner-up position.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chairman of Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate Deji Alli said that the game of golf has impacted on his person, and outlook of business for Lakowe Lakes project, despite the challenges of running a world-class facility like Lakowe Lakes Golf Club.
4th
Coach Pledges To Develop Wrestling In South South
Women’s national team wrestling coach, Purity Akuh, has pledged total commitment to the development and growth of wrestling after securing a seat as the South West zone representative seat in the board of Nigeria Wrestling Federation(NWF).
Speaking to journalists after the election, Purity vowed to support wrestling in the South West after he pulled the available six votes from the six states in a dominant fashion.
The UWW Educator noted that sports is a veritable instrument of reducing crime and unemployment if optimally pursued, hence his total drive to see it develop in the South West.
“As you know, sports generate big foreign exchange for countries all over the world. This and many other embedded issues surrounding and affecting sports, particularly in wrestling, will be addressed passionately and with all sincerity of purpose,” he stated.
He thanked the President Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Honourable Daniel Igali, who was his national team coach in his wrestling days and the entire wrestling family for counting him worthy to be elected as NWF board member.
Purity also appreciated the governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the state Honourable commissioner for Sports Development for their overwhelming support.
Assuring that the experience he acquired as a wrestler and having gone through technical trainings to be certified as UWW Educator will be made manifest, bringing to the NWF board technical insights among other qualities.
“I want to thank the governor of my state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the commissioner and my mentor, Daniel Igali, for the tremendous support I have received and the people of South West in supporting this mandate. Gratitude is not enough to express how elated I am to serve at this capacity.”
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.