Doing away with golf leadership tradition
The scenario could be frightening. A Captain is elected to lead a club, sometimes after some bruising campaigns, and he hits the ground running. He dabbles around several agenda in such breath-taking space you will think our folk could choke off if he doesn’t hold the break a bit. He is expected to offer easy smile and an honest face, even when it is clear he is not expected to run a mom and pop firm. In all of this he is expected to be extremely competent, smart, discreet and successful. He must be a social golfer who must play with all even if he hates to.
Most times, he must reach out for the carrot and never the stick. The politics surrounding him is murky since he doesn’t know who is holding a dagger behind the cloak, yet he dares not be caustic or rude. At all times, he is expected to crush every member in a bear hug. Before he can put all these thoughts together, a year is up and a notice is placed to announce his Captain’s Day, a sort of ritual game that says his time is up.
It is at this point a captain will look back and provide a weak effort at remorse, especially if he cannot pinpoint those sweet things that raise several flags of achievement. But let us face it, how much can a man, even a superman achieve in a space of one year.
At the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja, the Captain, Chief Okey Igweh, is already preparing for his Captain’s Day which will hold next week. After the game in his honor, he will become history. Even at that, he carries an extremely happy face of a man who has done his best for the club he loves dearly. He shares banters with golf professionals, especially those he has assisted with few sets of clubs when it’s clear the ones they wield are growing obsolete. He shares in their games because he too, as a Category 1 player, plays on same lane with them. The camaraderie gets so contagious that all you will read from the faces of golf professionals are weighty question... So this man is leaving as Captain?
This is the bad thing about several traditions of golf. Why compel a man to one term of one year even when it is absolutely clear the fellow has shared in the sweat and hardship of members. Even when it is clear the man has stabilized his environment with uncanny peaceful attitude. But there could still be some sneering statements that what one Captain can do, another can do better. This is not always right. What is right here is that a Captain must be allowed at least two years of rule so he can completely prove what a success he could be.
Well, Igweh’s tenure will come to an end next week. Even though he has served for one year, members of the Club can indeed point at great things you can only see when a great man passes the street.
The IBB course is adorning new bridges over its several waterways. The fairways are looking prettier and the Greens play like magic. The members could really count several tourneys they played in during the tenure that is closing. They can even count on several international Matchplays they played in. Yet donors come in drove to give for the Club’s maintenance. All these happen because Igweh commands uncommon respect from everyone.
You can now take a dutiful bow, Captain Igweh. In truth, it will be known you offered more than your best.