Golf is largely perceived as the ‘big man’s game, but women say cultural inhibitions put them at disadvantage in picking interest in the sport, writes NICHOLAS UWERUNONYE.
Jumoke Orire Adebayo, a barrister based in Ilorin would like to agree with Babajide Allen, journalist, on the outcome of the first Emirate Hotel Open Amateur Golf Tournament, held at the prestigious Ilorin Golf Club, recently. Despite differences in their occupation, both share uncommon passion in golf. That explains why both are captain and Lady captain of the club.
The tourney attracted interest of over 146 amateur golfers from different golf clubs across the country. By midday, that Saturday, the championship already had a +2 leader.
Apart from the turn out and quality of play, the golf tournament attracted sponsors; The Emirate Hotels was the title sponsor, Nivea, a cosmetic giant pitched in with partnership. Confectionaries like Fortunate Bread, were also represented, adding to colour and glamour of the event by the end of that day.
” Even if we didn’t get a better score, a +2, under this condition, any day anywhere in the world is a good score to be posted,” Allen said in an interview during the course of the event.
But for Orire Adebayo and the very few women who were at the tournament, there should have been more women, especially from Ilorin since the championship happened in the historic city.
Golfing is largely perceived as elitist, attracting interest from exceptionally few net worth individuals. Apart from that, the game is believed to be one of the best business and career platforms.
Medical experts also hail golf for its health benefits. Some health authorities, for instance, estimate that playing a complete game of gulf is taking an eight kilometer walk.
There are also those, especially gender equity activists, who see the game as a glass ceiling breaking opportunity for women who want to break social, political and career barriers.
The competition at the Ilorin Golf club was first after a long spell. While Allen believes it was a remarkable success, Adebayo, however, is bothered about the gender composition of the golfers and how it badly showed an apathy for the sport by women in Ilorin.
Orire, her maiden surname is a big deal in Ilorin, a historic city, center of learning and midpoint of cultures north, east, south and west of Nigeria. The barrister is worried that sheer ultra-conservatism, especially in religion and other cultural matters are holding back womenfolk in Ilorin from embracing the game.
“If this had been Ibadan, there would have been a lot of local women taking part in golf,” she said. Indeed, there were many golfers from Ibadan, Akwa Ibom and other states who were in Ilorin for the championship.
According to the barrister, golfing in Ilorin for women faces traditional challenges brought about by stereotypes.
“Here, religion plays a big role in dissuading women from playing golf. I am from a prominent family and I know what people say about me playing gulf.
“There is so much talk among my folks that the sports vocation does not conform with Sharia, a strict Islamic code,” she said.
“As a golfer, we face serious accusations and stereotypes, saying we are bad because of what we wear to play the game.
She however admits that these views were largely out of ignorance. “After all, there are specially designed hijab outfits for women who want to play sports, especially polo,” she added.
Bose Oyewewusi, PhD, an academic, and woman golfer, while also agreeing that stereotypes could well form a basis for apathy to the game, other factors like awareness, general indifference by women to exercise, generally in Nigeria could be reason.
“Women feel that it is only for men; they also see it as way too elitist and wouldn’t want to break the glass ceiling,” she added.
Bisola Babalola, Academic Technologist, also a lady golfer, agrees that there are strong stereotypes against women playing the game not necessarily restricted to religious code alone. “I Started playing golf as a way of pushing back at these stereotypes,” she said.
In doing so, she added, she found health benefits to playing polo.
“I just joined last year, 2023, prior to the notion I used to have that golfing is only meant for the elites, I found two different things in Golfing in Ilorin.
“The health value has been so good for me.
“I watched them play and I was able to start practicing and playing and I noticed a drastic change in my health. It has given me joy and transformed me,” Babalola added.
There appears, however, no basis for the belief that Islam restrains women folk from playing the game. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, more gulfing circuits are being recorded with a massive turn out of women golfers.
“In Kano, Kaduna, for instance, there are no inhibitions whatsoever because women play the game well in these places,” explained Prof Shuaib Oniyangi, of the Human Kinetic Department, University of Ilorin.
More or less, according to him, absence of demonstration at the very local level works against more women playing the game of golf in Ilorin.
“Golf is played in restricted areas like the GRA. It is not the type of game you see at the stadium. Are there no other games with peculiar dressings which Ilorin women participate in,” he asked rhetorically.
The Professor might well have a point.
Sukurat Aiyelabegan, Table Tennis Silver Medalist at the last All African Games in Ghana, is from Ilorin. She doesn’t dress in a Burka while playing the game.
Haisat Abdulkareem and Khadijat Abdulkareem, Nigeria’s number one, respectively, in squash Under 16 and Under 19, are also from Ilorin.
Squash allows for sparse dressing.
Bili Mogaji, woman coach, national Squash Team is also from Ilorin.
She is a popular figure at the Kwara State Stadium’s squash complex sporting brief shorts and t-shirt while training her wards.
According to Coach Bola Mogaji, Executive Chairman, Kwara Sports Commission, KSC, golfing suffers a similar fate like any other elite game.
“How many secondary or primary schools play golf,” he asks.
He further added that the kitting is very expensive.
“How many athletes can afford a game where you have to spend at least N500, 000 to have your kit? not many, if you ask me.
“Added to that, you have to have your caddies in place. And you have to pay them too,” the KSC boss said.
But Allen, Ilorin Golf Club captain, believes that it is all about interest.
“Same people who say the cost of golf kits are too high use iPhones that cost as much N700, 000,” he said.
Barrister Adebayo, Lady captain of the club, however says that despite the hurdles, there appears to be a silver lining in the horizon for women in golf.
“We have brought not less than 16 ladies into the club and are playing golf.
” We used to have about 30 ladies before but now we have 60 ladies. They came to the Golf Club with me and I showed them what we do and they picked interest,” she said.
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“Women feel that it is only for men; they also see it as way too elitist and wouldn’t want to break the glass ceiling,” she added.
