Afri Diplomat Magazine Debuts with Glamour and Grandeur

The 3rd edition of the International Diplomacy Stableford Golf Tournament, the annual gathering of the golfing diplomatic community which is aimed at celebrating diplomats, diplomacy, human migration travel & tourism, held at IBB International Golf & Country Club with about 20 embassies participating.

Among the embassies that participated were America, China, South Korea, Britain, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, Austria Trinidad & Tobago, Austria, France et al.

The tournament was teed off with ceremonial tee off by H.E. Amb. Cul Jian Chun - Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China, H.E. Amb. Kim Young-Chae - Ambassador of South Korea, H.E. Amb. Wendell Delandro - Ambassador of Trinidad & Tobago, H.E. Amb. Buba Tekune - Former Nigerian Ambassador to The Philipines, H.E. Amb. Laraba Bhutto - Former Nigerian Ambassador to Cuba, H.E. Amb. Mohammed Kangiwa - Former Minister/Head of the Immigration section of Nigerian High Commission in London, H.E. Amb. Kayode Garrick - Former Minister for economic and commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C, H.E. Amb. Adamu Emozozo - Former Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil.

The tournament which fielded about 88 players, with about 50% of the players being foreigners, was of shotgun start and Stableford points format. Irma Steyn trumped Jumai Abdulai on countback with 35 Stableford points, to emerge the winner of the ladies category.

Emmanuel Adukwu recorded 41 stableford points, making him the winner of the  handicap 15-28 men’s category. Otun Temitope outdid Gambo Alli with 39 stableford points on countback, to emerge the runner up. With 1 stableford point, O Igweh outdid Ashley Smit’s 37 points, to emerge the winner of the handicap 0-14 category.

For the ladies category, Joy Ikwue drove her shot Nearest To The Pin by 12.1 ft to the pin. In the men’s category, Sameer Shukla won Nearest To The Pin prize by 7.1 ft distance to the pin. Irma Steyn and O Igweh won the Longest Drive  with 153 meters and 246 meters in the ladies and men’s categories respectively.

Winners were rewarded with business/economy class flight tickets from Air Peace, Rwandair, South African Airways, room-night vouchers from The Envoy Hotel Abuja, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and  N200,000 worth (each) of Cilantro gift vouchers courtesy of Pepsi.

The tournament also witnessed the launching of Afri Diplomat magazine. Afri Diplomat Magazine, which is an offshoot of International Diplomacy Stableford Golf Tournament, is a print and electronic media dedicated to the promotion of personalities, events, happenings and cogent subjects around the African diplomatic community. Its contents span travel, tourism, consular services, diplomacy and diaspora.

The magazine was launched by H.E. Amb. Cul Jian Chun - Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Kim Young-Chae - Ambassador of South Korea to Nigeria, Robert from British High Commission, Makosi Musanbasi representing the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Laraba Bhutto - Former Nigerian Ambassador to Cuba, H.E. Amb. Kayode Garrick - Former Minister for economic and commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C.

The magazine was also launched in Lagos, where it was officially presented to H.E. Mr. Darkey Africa - Consul General of South in Africa, in the company of H.E. Dr. Bobby Moroe - Deputy High Commissioner of South Africa. 

Speaking at the tournament, Prince Deji Ajomale-McWord, Managing Partner of Run & Tour Africa Advisory, organizers of the tournament expressed gratitude to God for a sunny day, despite contrary forecast by Weather Report.

“This is certainly the best edition of this tournament so far, and we are super grateful to individuals and brands who participated as players and sponsors. We just can’t get tired of the positive reviews we’ve been getting”, he added.

When asked if the Lagos leg would continue, Prince Deji said “most definitely. It all started in Ikoyi Club 1938 in 2019 and we intend continuing the tournament in the home of global harmony. We are only going to make a few changes that will be revealed as the date approaches.