His Royal Highness Alhaji Nuhu Bamali, Emir of Zazzau, has taken over the driving seat as preparations for the much anticipated 2023 Zaria international polo tournament gets into its feverish stage in a bid to restore the noble game of polo to its pre-eminent statues in his kingdom
The Royal father has been reaching out to top corporate organizations, governments at all levels, traditional rulers, and well- meaning personalities to rally around the club and his kingdom to lift the 2023 tournament and restore the popularity of the noble to its past glories.
“His Royal Highness, the Emir of Zazzau is the brain behind our preparation for the tournament,” Zaria Polo Club’s captain Faruk Dokaji declared.“He has not only marketed this event, his efforts have been turning out positive responses from sponsors both traditional and prospective ones ; and we are confident of hosting a most successful tournament this year.”
Indeed, preparations for the tournament commenced earlier in the year when the management committee of Zaria Polo Club under the chairmanship Barrister Sambo Idris, met to pick members of the various sub committees that have been working tirelessly to deliver a most exciting and a memorable fiesta in years.
Second Vice President of Nigeria Polo Federation (NPF) and Zaria Polo Tournament Manager, Abdulkarim Jibrin , acknowledged the huge support of the royal father for the annual festival, adding that all hands are on deck to deliver the best fiesta the ancient kingdom has hosted in years
“Zaria Polo is back for real and the entire city is bubbling ahead of the event,” Jibrin, the Tournament Manager , said. “Our club house and the surroundings is wearing new looks and our playing field has been primed to withstand the pressure of play as all the major polo patrons, top Nigerian players, their foreign counterparts and over six hundred participating ponies are expected.”
He added: “Polo and the Zazzau Kingdom have a long history of partnership that dates back almost a century now and by popular reckoning, 2019 polo tournament promises to be the most exciting parade of kings the ancient city has witnessed in decades.”
Billed for its traditional Queen Elizabeth Road Polo Ground venue, the weeklong event that usually attracts enthusiasts from across the country and beyond remains the biggest attraction to the ancient kingdom for decades.
Zaria polo is all about the Royal Signal Cup, the tournament biggest and one of the most wanted polo prizes in the country. The allure for the title comes from the fact that the winner of this prestigious prize is crowned the king of Zaria polo for a whole year.
Other major prizes that are traditionally during the event that pride itself as the first tournament of the second stage of the national tour include, the medium-goal Emir of Zazzau Cup, Jafaru Cup and University Cup.
The Polo Captain Dokaji assured that Zaria would present teams to contest all the major cups, indicating that visiting teams are expected from Yola, Bauchi, Minna, Abuja, Jos, Kano, Katsina, Minna, Maiduguri and Sokoto in a weeklong galloping showdown.