NGF celebrates Pa Omolaso, oldest golfer in Nigeria

A 95-year-old great-grand father, Pa James Olujobi Omolaso who is regarded as the oldest golf playing Nigerian is being celebrated by the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) after he was recently discovered at the prestigious IBB Golf and Country Club Abuja.

The NGF, led by Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, presented London-based Pa James Olujobi Omolaso after he had a few holes at the IBB golf course when he visited Abuja.

The 28-handicapper who has been playing the game for 35 years, regularly plays at Greenwich Estuary Golf course near 02 Arena, London.

Pa Omolaso said “Generally, I am interested in sports, because I was a sports person in my college in those days at Molusi College Ijebu Igbo. I was one of the foundation members of the school,” Pa Omolaso said.

He said unlike other sports, golf is is a game that can be played continually.

Otunba Runsewe, who discovered the nonagenarian, urged Nigerians to key into the game of golf as it can be played at any age.

“Pa Omolaso is 95 and still comes on the course to play some few holes and make some putts. The fact that Baba has mental alertness and understands what golf is tells us that golf is an ageless game.

“Today he has demonstrated something: that when you hit a good golf shot, your entire body chemistry communicates.

“I appeal to all Nigerians to disabuse their minds from that notion that golf is for the elite. Golf is for the living mind—anyone that is alive, golf is the right game to tap into. I screamed when I saw Baba and I resolved what we needed to do was bring him to the golf course,” the NGF president said.