The remains of Beauty McLeod, mother of Nigerian tennis junior champion, Angel, will be laid to rest today at Ogbunka Town, Orumba South LGA of Anambra State.
The 37-year-old, who is also an active tennis player, was killed last October in Lagos during an altercation with a mobile policeman attached to the Victoria Island, Lagos hotel in which she had lodged.
A member of the prestigious Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Beauty relocated to Nigeria from Dubai in 2014 and was preparing for the Governor’s Cup among other domestic tournaments before the tragic incident. Her last major tournament was in May last year when she featured in the CBN Open in Lagos.
The Nigeria Tennis Federation President in a tribute by its president, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, commended the deceased for the great role she played in the blossoming career of her daughter, who has been identified by experts as a global star prospect.
“It’s very clear to all that she (Beauty) wants her daughter to succeed as a tennis player. She laid a very good foundation by making sure that she provides everything Angel needs both in material and human support.
“Beauty has been a reference point of how a parent-child synergy helps bring the best out of kid(s) talent in sports. She sponsors her daughter to tournaments within and outside the country. She also travelled with her everywhere just to give her the psychological support for her to excel,” he said.
Ndanusa, a former sports minister, pledged that the federation will strive to make sure that Angel attained a professional status in the coming years to fulfill her mum’s dream.
“The first step that we have taken is to send her to the ITF Training Center in Morocco where she will be based for some few years. Thereafter, we will see to her need to feature in different tournaments across the world in order to bring out the best in her.”
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