Though the game of golf has been getting more recognition in Nigeria in recent times, the game has also struggled with the challenge of sponsorship as cooperate organisations have not seen the need to tap into the potential and invest in it.
Golf, like any other sport, is a rallying and social point which brings some stakeholders together. The attention on the sport is growing in Nigeria and STI finds it necessary to deploy its CSR resources to further promote the sport and bond with its audience.
To enhance and promote golf as a sport, the leading insurance firm in the country decided to anchor the task of showcasing the best golfers in Nigeria.
Recently, the second annual edition of the Sovereign Trust Insurance plc Open Golf Tournament was held in the ancient city of Ibadan, at the Ibadan Golf Club, Onireke Reservation Area, Ibadan, Oyo State. The three-day tournament brought together some of the country’s top golfers both at the Amateur and Professional levels for both male and female in all the categories.
Segun Bankole, the head of corporate communications and brand management for STI, said, the underwriting firm will not relent in any way in giving back to the society through different sporting and social platforms of this nature in reinforcing its corporate social responsibility stance in line with its corporate philosophy. He further mentioned that adequate arrangements were put in place to ensure a successful and entertaining tournament.
Also commenting, Wale Onaolapo, the managing director/CEO, stated that “the gesture was a further indication of the company’s affirmed commitment to the development of sports in the country”.
In his words, “we are resolute in our commitment to the ideals of promoting development in all areas of human endeavours as much as we can accommodate, which explains why our CSR philosophy is hinged on Health, Sports and the Community, and these to us, is all-encompassing”.
Bayo Adeleke, the captain of Ibadan Golf Club, expressed great appreciation to the management of Sovereign Trust Insurance plc for staying true to its promise of sponsoring the tournament on an annual basis. He was glad that the tournament was far thrilling and exciting than the last edition.
According to him, “Sovereign Trust Insurance plc has consistently been leading the pack amongst insurance companies in the country in promoting sporting activities at all levels and urged more participation from other corporate organisations in advancing the game of golf and other sports in order to further enhance the human capacity in the burgeoning sports industry in the country.
Just recently, Sovereign Trust Insurance plc was voted the CSR Company of the year for 2013, by an online Pension and Insurance media organisation based on electronic voting by members of the public.
As an indigenous underwriting organisation, STI has been in the fore front of sport development, foster and support initiatives in the Health sector geared towards improving the quality of lives of the Nigerian populace.
Play an active part in the development and enhancement of the Nation’s environment by supporting key infrastructural projects solely or in partnership with any level of the Government structures, Civil Societies and Private Organisations across the country.
As it has been identified that sports is a common unifying denominator for the country, STI said its intervention in this area is focused on “using this human activity to promote, advance and reinforce the unity of Nigeria and the world at large, by collaborating from time to time with various sporting organisations and professionals by committing a portion of the company’s resources to the development of sports in the country at all strata of the country’s government structure with a view to generating mass appeal awareness for the Brand”.
