Anambra Country Club Floats Governor’s Tennis Championship in Partnership with Audi Ltd, Offers ₦3m Prize Money

By Elochukwu Benjamin | IchieTimes

The maiden edition of the Anambra Governor’s Tennis Championship commenced on Wednesday in Awka, with 16 clubs across the state competing for honours in a tournament designed to promote sports development, talent discovery and healthy living.

The competition, sponsored by Audi Company Ltd., will end on the 30th of October, 2026, with a total prize purse of about ₦3 million to be won.

The first prize is one million naira; the first runner-up will get five hundred thousand naira, while each participating team will go home with one hundred thousand naira each.

Declaring the event open on Wednesday at the Anambra Country Club, Solution Fun City, Awka, the State Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, commended Audi Ltd. for sponsoring the championship and congratulated the participating clubs for being part of what he described as a historic sporting event in the state.

“I thank the sponsor for partnering with us. This is a clear demonstration of the public-private partnership initiative of Governor Chukwuma Soludo,” he said.

The deputy governor, who spoke on behalf of the governor, formally declared the competition open, expressing appreciation to the organisers and participants for their contributions to sports development in Anambra.

The State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Patrick Aghamba, also praised Soludo for his deliberate efforts to advance sports in the state, particularly through initiatives aimed at strengthening grassroots participation and discovering young talents.

He noted that the championship went beyond competition, describing it as an investment in youth development, talent identification, healthy living and the establishment of a sustainable sports ecosystem in Anambra.

The initiative also reflects the state government’s commitment to public-private partnerships in driving development and expanding opportunities for sporting talents,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the President of Anambra Country Club, Awka, Mr Damian Enekwechi, described the championship as unprecedented in the state, particularly in terms of its scale and prize money.

Enekwechi highlighted the health benefits of tennis, especially for older people, saying the sport promotes physical fitness and general well-being.

He explained that the club offered facilities for sports and recreation, including tennis, table tennis and swimming, adding that it was committed to ensuring the championship became a regular event.

“We don’t just want this place to be a place for eating and drinking; it is also a hub for sports, recreation and healthy living,” he said.

“This is our first edition, and we are committed to sustaining it. Each edition will be better and bigger than the last.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Audi Ltd., Dr Clems Ifezue, said the company sponsored the championship to celebrate Anambra Country Club and attract wider national attention to its facilities.

Describing the club as magnificent, Ifezue said the tournament offered participating clubs an opportunity to compete for approximately ₦3 million in prize money.

Ifezue expressed optimism that subsequent editions would attract greater participation and investment, promising that the competition would grow in scale and quality in the coming years.