In Minna this week, golf clubs are being swung with purpose, and it is not just about scoring under par—it is about lifting lives.
The Golf and Tour Charity Association of Nigeria (GTCAN) has kicked off its 2025 tournament season in the Niger State capital, but the real win is not on the scorecard. It is in their mission to give back while playing the game they love.
“We don’t just play golf. We leave an impact everywhere we go,” said Brigadier General Mustapha Oneyiveta (rtd.), the Minna Chief Coordinator of GTCAN, during a press briefing.
GTCAN is a growing community of amateur golfers with a heart. Founded in 2021, the group blends sporting spirit with a deep sense of social responsibility, bringing together members from across Nigeria including military officers, civil servants, and community leaders.
What sets them apart? Every tournament includes a charity mission.
In Kaduna, they installed solar power in an orphanage that had no electricity. In Ibadan, they completed abandoned housing for vulnerable children. Now in Minna, they have identified a local orphanage that will benefit from their visit financially and materially.
“When we play, we also listen,” Oneyiveta explained. “We assess what these homes need and then pool our resources to meet those needs.”
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The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Wing Commander Dangana Sarki (rtd) said that over 150 golfers are expected to participate in this weekend’s tournament adding that they are drawn from GTCAN’s over 120 members and other golfers from local clubs across Niger State.
“Hotels are filled, vendors are prepping, and the entire community will feel the buzz,” organizers said.
GTCAN used the press briefing to make a passionate plea to journalists not to just cover the game but to highlight the cause they are pursuing.
“Media is critical,” Onege said. “We need your lenses and headlines not for us, but to shine a light on the needs of orphans and the underserved.”
Sarki said that to GTCAN members, golf is more than a sport. It is a metaphor for life with its triumphs, setbacks, patience, and perseverance adding that they now use it as a tool for social good.
“Golfers are often seen as elitist,” he said. “But we are here to flip that script. We are here to serve.”
