Lagos Leighton Kings team returned to winning ways over the weekend, defeating arch-rivals, Kano Lintex- Intercontra 10-6, in an epic final to reclaim the event’s biggest prize the Majekodunmi Cup they lost last year on a sudden death goal to the same team.
With this victory, the Bowale Jolaoso-powered team has now won four major titles to emerge the overall champions of the prestigious polo festival that enters its grand finale this week, with 26 teams jostling for the Low Cup, Silver Cup, and three subsidiary prizes.
Before the weekend’s epic final, the Lagos Kings had earlier won the Dapo Ojora Memorial Cup, the Open Cup, and the Independence Cup where they edged their Kano-based opponents in a six chukkas cracker that was witnessed by a crowded stand at the Ribadu polo ground in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Lintex-Intercontra boasting of Baba Dantata, Genaro Ringer, Alejo Aramburu, and their patron, Bashir Dantata had started the final with a spark scoring two quick goals in the opening chukka, before the Kings level up in the second chukka, and pulled away in the fifth chukka and stay up front to win.
“It’s difficult to put it in words, it’s like our first Majekodunmi Cup victory four years ago, and I want to thank our teeming supporters and my teammates for their commitment and fighting spirits, “ Leighton Kings Patron Jolaoso who won the MVP award, said after the game.
“Let me congratulate Leighton Kings for their hard-earned victory. We will be back and better next year,” said Dantata, whose Lintex- Intercontra had earlier defeated NexGen debutants, to retain the Italian Ambassador’s Cup.
Other winners of the loaded second weekend that had the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as a special guest, include the Lagos Elektron-Aragon team that defeated Kaduna Dattaku 7-21/2 to clinch the Governor’s Cup and Golden Ranch that secured an extra chukka 6-4 victory over Iba Oil & Gas team to win the Lagos heritage Cup.
One of the biggest winners of the opening week of the 2023 Lagos international polo festival are debuting Art Hotel paraded the only female professional in the tournament, Neku Edun that edged Dangote/ Sublime in a tense finale, to earn their first Oba of Lagos Cup crown.
For another year running, the prestigious festival hosted a renowned and faithful collection of sponsors with GTCO leading others like Arbico, Vueve Clicquot, Chapelhill Denham, BUA, Metro Capital, MTN, among others.