November 1, (THEWILL) – When a Nigerian golfer wins abroad, we celebrate the achievement. We should. But we should also ask what made it possible, and whether the next generation will have access to the same preparation. Godwin Okoko’s success brings that question into sharp focus. We are celebrating him now, but his progress did not happen by chance. It followed a deliberate plan and a structured development pathway.
That pathway is the missing piece in Nigerian golf. Too many of our professionals turn pro through routes that were never designed to prepare them for international standards. The gaps become visible when they compete on bigger stages. We need several academies dedicated to producing professional-level players, with clear curricula, regular competition, fitness and mental training, and a deliberate plan from junior golf to the professional ranks.
Okoko shows what such preparation can achieve. The academy that helped build his pathway no longer exists, and that is a real loss. If it were still operating, I believe we would be producing more players like him. Until we have several such academies, we cannot honestly claim to be preparing our professionals consistently for international competition. This is part of the challenge we face as an organisation: building a system that develops players rather than relying on individual talent to find its own way.
That system must begin with young golfers. A professional pathway cannot appear suddenly when a player decides to turn pro. It has to start much earlier, with children given the opportunity to discover golf, learn its fundamentals and receive the coaching and competition they need to improve.
I have seen the importance of junior golf as a parent. My daughter, Itiaron, has won several tournaments at Ikoyi Club and in international competitions. She has also won the Awa Ibraheem Junior Golf Championship. Watching her develop has shown me that a young player’s progress depends on much more than natural ability. It requires access to practice, good coaching, regular competition and people who can help the player and family understand what comes next.
The recent Awa Ibraheem Junior Open Championship is an important example of what sustained commitment can achieve. Now in its thirteenth year, it brings young golfers from across Nigeria together to compete and earn world ranking points. Its longevity matters. One tournament can inspire a young player, but a championship that returns year after year can build confidence, ambition and a record of progress.
Nigeria has already seen young golfers reach significant international stages. Georgia Oboh won the U.S. Kids Golf Teen World Championship before becoming the first Nigerian to qualify for the Ladies European Tour. Tokunboh Pedro made his mark in international junior competition, later playing college golf in the United States and pursuing a professional career. Anita Uwadia also represented Nigeria internationally as a junior and continued her development through college golf. Their achievements, alongside those of Itiaron and many other young players, show that the talent and ambition are here. The challenge is to create a system that helps more of them progress.
One championship cannot carry that responsibility alone. Nigeria needs a connected development structure: junior programmes that introduce children to the game, qualified coaches who guide them, academies that prepare committed players for high-level competition, and a calendar that allows them to test and improve their abilities. Each stage should prepare players for the next. A talented junior should be able to see the route ahead and understand what it will take to progress.
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Access remains part of this challenge. Golf can be expensive to take up, with costs for equipment, lessons, green fees and membership. The number of practical places to play is limited, particularly in a city as large as Lagos. Schools and clubs can help by offering beginner programmes, shared equipment and shorter formats that allow children to try the game without first committing to a full round or significant expense. But wider access must lead to quality development. Introducing children to golf is essential; giving those who want to progress a clear route is just as important. A professional academy must be more than a place to practise. It should have a clear curriculum that develops technical ability alongside course management, physical fitness and mental resilience. It should offer regular, meaningful competition and prepare players for the standards they will encounter internationally. Most of all, it should provide a deliberate progression from junior golf to elite amateur competition and, ultimately, the professional ranks. Turning pro should be the next stage of a prepared journey, not a leap into uncertainty.
The professional calendar is beginning to offer more opportunities. The Sunshine Development Tour has brought international competition to Lagos, and the Nigerian Open is expected to return in 2027 after nearly three decades. These are valuable building blocks, but tournaments alone cannot replace the academies and development programmes that prepare players to take full advantage of them. A strong tour needs a steady supply of well-prepared golfers. Academies need a competitive calendar where those golfers can prove themselves.
Sustained investment is essential. Businesses can support junior programmes, academy facilities, coaching, equipment, player travel and professional tournaments. This can ease the costs carried by families and players while contributing to a more sustainable golf industry. The benefits extend beyond the players, creating opportunities in coaching, caddying, course maintenance, sports administration, hospitality and tourism.
I have spent many years around Nigerian golf, including serving as Competition Secretary of the Golf Section at Ikoyi Club 1938. I know that developing the game involves practical work: organising competitions, creating opportunities to play and bringing people together around a shared commitment. Developing professional golfers requires that same commitment on a larger and more sustained scale. Clubs, academies, tournament organisers, the Nigeria Golf Federation, the PGA of Nigeria and private-sector partners each have a role in preparing the next generation.
We should celebrate Godwin Okoko’s achievement. We should also understand what prepared him, recognise the loss of an academy that once provided that structure, and build several institutions capable of developing the next generation. One player’s success is a reason for pride. A system that can produce many more is the measure of progress.
By Meka Olowola
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Meka Niyi Olowola (FSPIN, FIMC) is the Founder and Managing Partner of Zenera Consulting, a business leader and entrepreneur with nearly three decades of experience, and an avid golfer.
