Ibadan Tennis Club tasks members on sporting legacy

File Copy: Ikoyi Club Tennis Session

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The President, 1925 Ibadan Tennis Club, Oladipupo Sule, has stressed the need for the members to build next century sporting greatness.

This is as he enjoined to carry forward the spirit of unity, excellence, and perseverance.

He made this appeal during the Centennial anniversary, end-of-year dinner, patrons’ investiture and award night, held at the club premises, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday.

ITC, founded in 1925, is a historic Nigerian social and sports club that has evolved from colonial-era beginnings, offering tennis, recreation, and community building, marking its 100th anniversary in 2025 with events celebrating its legacy, growth (including women’s integration), and commitment to Nigerian sports and social life, aiming to continue fostering unity for future generations.

Sule urged the members to see the celebration as another opportunity to work harder for the progress of the club.

The president said, “As we celebrate, we recognise that our work is not yet complete. Due to financial constraints, some planned projects remained unfinished. We now turn to you in this beautiful gathering of community and fellowship, inviting you to contribute to the future of our beloved club through a generous donation. Together, we can ensure that the dreams we have nurtured for our Club become a reality.

“Let us take this opportunity not only to celebrate but also to pledge our commitment to excellence. Let us honour those who have made significant contributions to our club and community by presenting awards to our esteemed honourees tonight.

“As we conclude our centennial celebration, may we carry forward the spirit of unity, excellence, and perseverance. Together, let’s continue to build a legacy for the next century of sporting greatness,” he urged.

Speaking with The PUNCH on the sidelines of the dinner, the Chairman of the Centennial Anniversary Committee, Aremo John Adeleke, called on the leadership at all levels of governance to support the association

He added that the club has not been enjoying government like that of a Western government.

Adeleke said the club had stayed together through thick and thin and had been able to weather so many storms, especially since it was established in 1925, 100 years ago.

He said, “But over the years, we have managed to grow our leadership and improve our infrastructure. But like every living organism, we have the option when the economy becomes very difficult in terms of people’s inability to pay their dues, our inability to do as much as we would have loved to, but we thank God that, especially with the influx of new members, all those challenges of the past have been overcome.

“The Club is on a tremendous trajectory, and as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, the future can only be better. We have just renovated our Scotch Hall because Scotch hasn’t been played there for over 25-30 years. So, potentially, we will bring in new members. Our basketball pavilion is almost ready, and the game of basketball will commence there very shortly.

“This club started with support from the Western Union of Government, but now much has been forthcoming officially from the government in recent years, that’s the new trend, but the members are actually brazening up and feeling the gap. We continue to make our impact on society despite very little support from the government,” he stated.

He, therefore, charged members to work hard for the benefits of a generation yet unborn.

“My message to members as we celebrate 100 years is that we are the inheritors of a very proud legacy, and we should continue to work harder, not only to sustain the legacy but to improve it and make sure that legacy continue to enchoing to be in place for the next generation of members that are coming,” he advised.

Some of the awardees include Asiwaju of ideraland and Chairman, Premier International Procurements Logistics, Sola Ayandele (Eruobodo); Chairman, Ilaji Resort & Okanlomo Oodua of the source, Jubril Dotun Sanusi and member of House of Representatives, representing Ido and Ibarapa Federal Constituency, Aderemi Oseni.

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