By Goodness Ndukuba, Awka on November 7, 2024

Onitsha Country Club, Fegge, Anambra state, has concluded plan for a tennis acedemy with the recent facelift of facilities in the sports complex by the new leadership.

The over 50 years Onitsha country club was established in the 70s by the military after the Nigerian civil war for relaxation. It was later taken over by the individuals, mainly traders sports lovers in the area, who  recently rebuilt the complex to wear new look in readiness to accommodate the planned tennis acedemy and other sporting activities.

"The club approved a tennis acedemy to bring together the children of Fegge to teach them how to play lawn tennis,"

Mr Anietonwa Kingsley Ajulufo, President of the club exclusively told our Correspondent in Onitsha on Thursday.

According to him, the club is starting the tennis academy before end of this year with about 150-200 children.

"By next week, we will start announcements in all the Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal Churches in Fegge, and environs to register interested children and also get supporting staff to start the tennis acedemy," he added.

Ajulufo said: "I want to make Onitsha Country Club, the number one sports club in Nigeria, that is what we are trying to do.

"We have one or two things already, and within the last 12 months we have been able to build an indoor sports hall and new reception office inaugurated in less than 30 days of my administration.

Other things we have so far done include the renovations of squash racket hall, badminton court, table tennis section, snooker section, gym section, sauna section, standard tennis court- our main sport that brought us together and 400-capacity sports pavilion the next project in readiness for the tennis academy.

"Members have been supportive since I became the president of the club. I took over leadership in 2023, we have not rested trying to facelift the club. I am happy that people have seen one or two changes

According to him, the five times East of the Niger Lawn Tennis champion club is also working hard to add a swimming pool and a mini-football pitch for the members relaxation.

Mr Sunny Davis, a pioneer member and former captain of the club commended the new leadership efforts, saying that the club which started after the military left and inherited by individuals living within Onitsha had taken a new shape.

He said the club complex was not fenced but wired round then under late Mr Hughes Egwuatu, who was in-charge of Ministry of Sport Onitsha zone, but have been rebuilt to standard.

"It was named then Fegge Lawn Tennis Club, changed to Fegge Sports Club, and now Onitsha Country Club "One Family Club".

"The place was a military playground, they constructed under a senior military officer, George Innih and used for their competitions, which I am part of the officiating official with Hughes Egwuatu then.

The sports complex then had two tennis courts, badminton, volleyball, basketball and squash hall, but was reconstructed when the individuals (traders) took it over.

"These facilities were built by individuals who took over, by about 90 per cent of them, traders as members and turned it to what you are seeing today under agreement with the Sports Council then, and by that time, the Sports Council cannot maintain it.

"The Ministry of Sports in the state then have all it competitions using the facilities here, that was the relationship established with the Sports Council," he affirmed.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted November 7, 2024

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