Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has described sports as very critical to the physical and mental alertness of military officers.
COAS Yahaya made the remark during the ceremonial tee-off of a golf tournament at the Arsenal Golf Course on Saturday in Owerri.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament was part of activities marking the year 2022 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL).
COAS Yahaya, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Victor Ezeugwu, the Corps Commander, Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, also launched hole 4 at the Golf Course.
He said that the game would go a long way in helping the physical training of officers as well keep them mentally alert to the happenings in their environment.
“The physical and mental alertness of a military officer form part of his welfare, which is key to success in the discharge of his constitutional duties.
“We will continue to support the game and to promote national unity as part of our core mandate through sports,” he said.
Speaking, Captain of the Arsenal Golf and Country Club, Commodore Ogechi Osuagwu (rtd), of the Nigerian Navy, thanked the COAS for identifying with the club during the auspicious occasion of the commemoration of the Nigerian Army Day.
Osuagwu described the club as the best of its kind in the South-East geo-political zone.
According to him, the hole 4, launched by the COAS, would, among other things, add feathers to golf in Imo, thus providing a platform for the improvement of civil-military relations in the state.
He appealed to the COAS to support the club with a 300KVA Transformer for generation of electric power and an annual subvention to keep the club going.
The golf captain requested that the hole 4 be annually maintained with a subscription of N200,000.
He further thanked Gov. Hope Uzodimma for his efforts at ensuring the security of Imo residents and providing the enabling environment for social activities to thrive in the state.
He also advised youths to eschew criminality, and work towards ensuring lasting peace and security in their various communities.
“The Arsenal Golf Course has played an enormous role in strengthening civil-military relations in the state and we thank the COAS for accepting the hole 4 which we offered to him, and for launching it,” he said.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of an award to the COAS in appreciation of his support for the club as well as awards, cash and gift prizes such as flat screen televisions and refrigerators to winners of different categories.
NAN also reports that the event was attended by serving and former military officers, prominent among whom was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja. (NAN)
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