Funmi Ogundare
The Yoruba Tennis Club (YTC) weekend honoured some of its longstanding supporters and pillars for their contributions, friendship, support and belief in the club as part of activities marking its centenary celebration.
Among those honoured were Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former governors, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande; philanthropist and businessman, Chief Kensington Adebutu; and industrialist, Chief Razaq Akanni Okoya.
The club also recognised several of its members, including past chairmen, current vice patrons and trustees, as well as serving and retired members, for their contributions to the growth and development of the club.
Awards were also presented to past and serving chairpersons, conviviality coordinators, members of the centenary planning committee, game organisers and other members who contributed to the success of the centenary activities.
The club also presented special posthumous awards in recognition of distinguished members and supporters whose contributions and legacies have continued to shape the YTC.
Speaking at the Centenary Gala/Awards ceremony in Lagos, themed, ‘Regal Elegance: Celebrating a Century of Tradition and Culture’, the Chairman of the club, Chief Olawumi Gasper, noted that the centenary celebration was principally an occasion for appreciation, gratitude, recognition and remembrance of generations of people who had contributed to the growth and development of the club.
He congratulated the awardees honoured at the ceremony, describing the recognitions as the club’s way of appreciating their contributions, friendship, support and belief in the institution.
According to him, while some contributions to the club were publicly visible, others were made quietly without applause or recognition, adding that every genuine contribution had become part of the larger story of the institution.
“You have not simply supported this institution; you have helped sustain a legacy. And that is why this recognition is deeply significant,” he stated.
The chairman noted that the club’s present status was the product of sacrifices made by previous generations, urging current members to see themselves as custodians of a legacy that must be handed over responsibly.
“Tonight, therefore, is both a celebration of achievement and a reminder of stewardship. We stand today because others stood before us. We enjoy the privileges of this club because others made sacrifices before we arrived. And one day, another generation will stand where we stand today,” Gasper said.
He also challenged members of the club to ensure that the institution emerges from its centenary celebration stronger, more relevant and faithful to its founding ideals.
He stated that the celebration should not merely mark 100 years of the institution’s existence but should serve as a reminder of the responsibility of members to preserve and strengthen its legacy for future generations.
He asked members to reflect on what they would leave behind for the next generation, stressing that the club must strive to become stronger and more relevant rather than merely surviving its centenary.
“What will they say we left behind? Will they find an institution that merely survived its centenary or one that became stronger, more relevant and more faithful to its founding ideals? That is the challenge before us,” he said.
He thanked the Special Guest of Honour, Ogbeni Oja and Regent in Council of Ijebu-Ode, O’lorogun Sonny Folorunsho Kuku, for honouring the centenary celebration, describing him as a renowned scholar, administrator, physician and endocrinologist, who had served in various institutions in the country.
Gasper expressed the hope that the club would continue to operate with dignity, relevance and distinction at the forefront of history and tradition.
In his remarks, the Special Guest of Honour, Kuku urged members of the club to preserve its heritage, values and tradition of service.
He stated that the survival of the institution for 100 years was a testament to the vision of its founders and its ability to remain relevant through changing political and social circumstances.
He recalled that the club was founded on September 15, 1926, when 25 young Nigerians came together to establish an indigenous social institution at a time when Nigerians were excluded from some of the exclusive clubs operated by the colonial establishment.
According to him, the founders demonstrated courage and foresight by deciding to establish their own institution rather than accept exclusion.
“They did not just form a club; they created a space where Nigerians could build their own institution of excellence,” he stated.
The Ogbeni Oja and Regent-in-Council of Ijebuland said the club had remained a meeting point for people who had contributed to Nigeria’s development across different sectors, including politics, business, industry and public service.
He also commended the club for marking its centenary with a series of activities designed to celebrate its history and contributions to society.
He cited the seminars, lectures, cultural activities, exhibitions and other events organised as part of the centenary programme, saying they had demonstrated that the club remained deeply connected to its heritage.
He described the centenary gala as not only a celebration but also an occasion for gratitude to generations of members who had contributed to the growth and sustainability of the institution.
According to him, the responsibility before current members is to ensure that the values that sustained the club for a century are transmitted to future generations.
“We must preserve our roots and invent a future that carries everyone along,” he stated.
Kuku stressed the importance of service, respect, integrity and community, urging members to uphold these values as the club enters its next century.
He said institutions that survived major historical transitions, including colonialism and political changes, could only do so by remaining faithful to their foundational values while adapting to changing times.
The guest of honour paid tribute to the founders and past members of the club, describing their contribution as a legacy that should continue to inspire present and future generations.
He also congratulated the award recipients and members of the club for their contributions, urging them to continue to promote friendship, fellowship and service.