Four of Nigeria’s best performing teams this year, Jos Malcomines, The Police IGP Strikers, Nigerian Army and Haske & Williams teams are bracing for another epic battle as the much awaited 2022 Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament gallops off with fanfare this weekend in the nation’s capital city.
Former champions, Malcomines are the team to beat in the President Cup firestorm while the fortified Police and the Nigerian Army teams are set to rekindle age long rivalry in the FCT Ministers’ Cup contests.
The much anticipated Abuja Carnival polo festival is billed to gallop off tomorrow at the foremost Guards Polo Club with 21 teams jostling for top honours.
Further checks revealed that the Murtala Laushi powered Malcomines will square up against 60Years/ AFMAAJ Consulting team in a make or mar duel to decide the winner of the prestigious President Cup and the overall champion of the 2022 Carnival polo.
Old foes, the Nigerian Army polo team and the Police polo team whose history of rivalry dates back over a century now, headlined a crowded field of ten teams chasing after the glittering FCT Minister’s Cup.
Top firing Brigadier Gen Laka will lead the Army warriors, while the never- say –die CSP Usman Michika is the captain of the Police Strikers in the battle royale that has remained the talks in town since the fixtures were released.
Serial champions Abuja Rubicon team will have their hands full as they battle two arch rivals, Katsina Max Air and Senator Haliru Jika’s Dokaji team in the race for the event’s second most wanted prize, the Legislative Shield.
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Meanwhile, six ambitious teams dominated with rookies and beginners are in the trenches for the low-goal Guards Challenge Cup race that would wear on till the last games to separate the winners.
Guards Polo Captain Muktar Adhama confirmed that everything is looking good ahead of what would be the most exciting polo tournament in the Federal Capital city for decades.
He assured polo enthusiasts a grand celebration in Abuja, stating that beyond the sport of polo, the week-long international Carnival fiesta would showcase and celebrate the tourism potentials and cultural heritage of the country.
Last year, Abuja Lintex, ASI and Dokaji teams combined to put host Abuja on top of the pristine Aso Rock that provided a perfect backdrop to the festival, winning three out of the four major titles at stake. Lintex parading Isa Kwame, Abdulmalik Badamasi, Jamilu Mohammed and team Patron, Bashir Bashir Dantata, defeated two tough and determined oppositions, Cassiva team and former champion Keffi Ponys to clinch the event’s biggest prize- the President Cup.
Meanwhile, the ambitious Cassiva team that defeated Keffi Ponys in their opening game, lost narrowly to the eventual champions in their final group game by three goals to finish Runners-up in the President Cup that has been dominated by Abuja-based teams for over five years now.
The grand event traditionally packaged as one of the major highlights of the international Abuja Carnival fiesta, saw CSP Usman Machika led Asi team emerge proud winners of the Guard Challenge Cup.
The Nigerian Army team was very much in their best as Brigadier General Laka pivoted Col. Y. Bello, Lado Aliyu and Murtala Aliyu to win the glittering Unity Cup.
Laka also captained the WU Bassey Barrack team to victory, defeating Niger Barracks team in battle of Barracks, to add the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Cup to his victory haul.
Photo Caption: Patron of Malcomines polo team from Jos, Murtala Laushi .