By Lanre Agiri
For over 95 years, Ibadan Tennis Club (ITC) has remained one of the pioneer indigenous social clubs in Nigeria.
History has it that the Ibadan Tennis Club existed as one of the first indigenous clubs in South Western Nigeria, even before its 1925 founding date. The Club has a rich history in the sport development of Nigeria. It is reputed to have produced international tennis players like the late Thompson Onibokun, Segun Balogun, Rasheed Oloyede and the Kasali brothers, who started their careers as ball boys at the club. Others notable stars are table tennis wizards Toyin King and Peju Faboyede.
Today, the club boasts of sports facilities like standard tennis courts, table tennis hall with adequate equipment, snookers and billiards, badminton, draught, dart, scrabble and chess.
In this interview, the president of Ibadan Tennis Club, Prince Oluwole Peter Akinyooye chronicled his journey at the helm in the past three years.
For the man who steers the foremost club where the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi crowned King Sunny Ade as the King of Music in 1977, he unveiled the spot while sharing his experiences in the administration of the club. Enjoy the interview.
How has it been running ITC given its rich background?
I thank God for the grace I enjoyed since I came into office as the President of the foremost sports club three years ago. Members have demonstrated their confidence and trust in the executive by supporting us in our drive to transform this 94 year-old club into a modern cosmopolitan sports club with top notch facilities. From our assumption of office, we had a five point-agenda and we have been able to deliver all. Within the period, we have done more than we promised with help of God and the cooperation of able members of the club.
What has been the experience since these three years?
It has not been easy leading a sports club of this magnitude in Nigeria because you will have to dedicate most of your time and spend your personal money to make an impact. And not only that, you will also have to lure people into having interest in the games. For instance, we have many games here, snooker and billiards, tennis, badminton, table tennis, dart, draught and ayo. I thank God for the caliber of people I have in my executive team running here because it takes a good team to successfully run a sports club in Nigeria.
What are the things you can point to as some of the achievements in the past three years?
Thank you. We didn’t have good conveniences here when we came in but we have been able to construct one that that compares with what you will find in any modern sport’s club in the world. Although, it cost much but we thank God that it was done with the help of members here, they have trust in us and that is why they key into all our projects.
We have also put up a good perimeter fence for the club. The one we had before was very old and dilapidated, so we pulled it down and erected a modern one. This club is a premier club that has been in existence since 1925, and as old as it is, the welfare of members has always been on the front burner.
In the past for instance, if anyone sustained an injury while playing, we had to rush such a person to a nearby hospital for medical attention but today we have a mini in-house clinic with a doctor that adequately caters for such emergencies.
Also when we had the investiture of former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, he donated a generating set to the club which is almost 20 years old as at today. As at the time we came in, it had packed up leaving us with power issues in the club. Our executives have been able to get another generating set of the same capacity alongside the one donated by the ex-governor, and that is what we are using today to power the club during outages. We have never experienced a power outage for the past three years we’ve been in office as we always ensure availability of diesel at all times with good support from members. And at this point, I must thank my executive members, because, it is one thing to have a vision and another thing to have people to drive it with you.
The furnishing in the main hall of the club has been changed a to modern ones because that is the first port of call and impression matters a great deal. The entrance of the club has also been changed to an automated one from the free-for-all one that was there before, with a befitting reception which also a proper way of checking the influx of non-members into the club because this a private club that is exclusively for registered members only.
At the tennis section, before when we’re playing on the court, the ball used to fall off into the Olubadan Stadium whenever one smashes the ball, but now we have increased the wired fence to prevent balls from getting overboard. We have also erected solar lights on the tennis court for people to play at night and improved the security of this environment. In terms of competition, we have improved the level of participation too.
It was in this club that His Royal Majesty Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi crowned Sunny Ade as the King of Juju music in 1977 with lots of top traditional rulers from Yorubaland in attendance, so we are transforming where those Obas sat that day into a monumental spot for archival purposes and a hall of fame which will serves as a record for our children coming behind us.
We’re sure when King Sunny Ade comes into this club, he will be happy to see that where he was crowned the king of music 44 years ago is renovated and preserved.
What is the impression of club members with your executive?
In the history of this club, only a few past leaders were allowed to administer for four years but as we speak, members are now clamouring that we continue for the fourth year and I believe it’s simply because of our track records. We have won many inter clubs tournaments both home and abroad. We have played many quadruplet games in sister clubs, and the highpoint was the inter-clubs tennis tournament recently organised by His Royal Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, Ibadan Tennis Club won it. So we thank god for these achievements. Our membership is on the increase, even people with other clubs are showing interest to join Ibadan Tennis Club, and all these are made possible without any additional burden on the club members.
As a Prince from a Royal family in Ifon Osun, what are your future plans after leaving here as President?
Yes, I’m from Moronfolu Olaojo ruling house in Ifon Osun, Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State, I wish to transform that kingdom using sports whenever I get the opportunity, my plan is to replicate what we have been able to do here in my locality using my influence to attract investors that will complement whatever we plan to do there. Apart from being a President of ITC, I have represented Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on the board of Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) (Management) Board representing the south which included the South/West, South/East and South/South in the early 2000s and I was part of the committee that constructed the IPMAN building in Odo-Ona Ibadan.