The former Lady Captain of Ibadan Golf Club, Mrs. Tope Alonge and Rev. Lawrence Nwachukwu, at the weekend, emerged the winners of ladies and men’s categories respectively at the Cancer Awareness Golf Tournament held at the prestigious Ibadan Golf Club (IGC).
Alonge, who is also the wife of former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Prof. Temitope Alonge, playing handicap 26, recorded 101 gross over 75 net to win the ladies category, while Rev. Lawrence Nwachukwu, with handicap 12, secured 80 gross over 68 net to beat Mr. Akin Funmilayo and Fawaz Mohammed to the top prize in the men’s category.
Speaking at the end of the competition, initiator of the tournament, Lizzy Afonja, thanked some of the major sponsors of the event, including Parakoyi Tunde Afolabi and former first lady of Oyo State, Mrs. Olayinka Mutiat Ladoja for buying the idea of instituting a golf tournament to raise awareness and enlighten golfers on how they can prevent the deadly ailment.
She also appreciated the efforts of IGC Vice captain, Tunji Oladosu and physicians, including, Dr. Ozonji Justin Paul, Dr. Anozie Princewill, Dr. Abdulsalam Ahmed, Dr. Ola Oduwole, Dr. Temitope Farombi and Alhaji Yusuf Issa for sharing their knowledge with golfers during an interactive session.
“Cancer causes mental sickness and depression. I didn’t have cancer but I was close to people that had this deadly disease and seeing them die gradually was very painful and a bitter experience.
“I want to plead with the government at all levels to please reduce the screening, mammogram and chemotherapy fees or even make it free at government hospitals for women to enable them do the screening yearly in government hospitals,” Afonja said.
Also speaking at the event, Oladosu explained, “this tournament is aimed at using golf as a platform for creating, promoting and developing cancer awareness in the public and emphasize the importance of early detection, all of which play major roles in the treatment of cancer and its prevention.”