The odds are heavily stacked in favour of serial champions, Kaduna El-Amin polo team as Minna, the capital city of Niger State, bubble for the 2024 Minna polo festival billed to blast off with fanfare next Tuesday at the foremost IBB Sports Complex Polo Ground.
The polo extravaganza that expectedly enjoys the full backing of Governor Mohammed Bago, is expected to be a thrilling fanfare until the overall champion and winners of the IBB Cup is decorated before a full house at a colourful closing ceremony.
The polo-loving governor who recently assumed his responsibility as the President of the Minna Polo Club, is making sure that the ‘Power State’ hosts one of the most memorable and the most exciting polo tournaments this year.
The tournament is being powered by the Niger State government and a consortium of corporate organizations like Profile Group, El-Amin Polo, Heritage 5, Niger Food, Mazibe Farm, Niger State Internal Revenue Board, Senator Aliyu Wadada, Dangote Industries and among others.
Over the years, the Minna polo tournament has always been all about the IBB Cup, the event’s biggest prize and this year, the quest for diadem would be higher with the presence of many the high-goal teams from across the country baying for the trophy.
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Minna Acting Polo Captain, Ahmed Salisu, confirmed that more than twenty teams have confirmed their readiness to jostle for top honours in the event that annually attracts thousands of polo buffs and tourists to the state.
He also disclosed that apart from the IBB Cup, the prestigious event offers four other major trophies and a dozen of selected prizes that would be at stake during the five -day event. He gave the names of the trophies as the Governor’s Cup, Emir of Minna Cup and General Hassan Usman Katsina Cup.
Other selected trophies to be competed for include the General Abdulsalami Abubakar Cup, General M.I. Wushishi Cup, Ahmadu Bahago Memorial Cup, Talban Minna Cup, Senator Idris Ibrahim Cup, Veterans’ Cup, Kere Ahmed Cup, General Gado Nasko Cup and the Beginners Cup.
Minna Tournament Committee Chairman, Mohammad Babangida, said that Niger State is set to host the glamorous polo fiesta which remains the biggest annual sporting event in the state and one of the most attended polo tournaments in the country.
Two years ago, Nigeria’s most successful high-goal polo team, El-Amin sent out a Georgian Cup warning to their rivals after their spectacular campaign saw them retain the high stake IBB Cup title and Abdulsalami Cup at the expense of hard fighting opponents.
El-Amin patron, Babangida was understandably delighted with El-Amin’s first major win in this year against tough oppositions, which sets them up nicely for another expectedly Georgian firestorm at the Kaduna international polo tournament to held at the legendary Murtala Mohammed Square later in the year.
“The IBB Cup and Minna annual tournament is a major part of our build up toward other high goal tournaments and to win the event’s biggest prize and General Abdulsalami Cup as well before our teeming supporters who travel from across the country to cheer us up, is a major plus for us,” Babangida remarked in a file interview with our correspondent.
Members of the tournament’s Organising Committee, which has been working hard to give polo a big boost in the state, said thousands of polo enthusiasts from Abuja, Suleja, Mokwa, Bida, Abuja, Kaduna, Ilorin, Kontogora and Lokoja are expected throng the state in droves for the glamorous fiesta.
Minna Polo Club was founded in 1972 by the Late Senator (Dr.) Idris Kuta, AIG Ahmed Bello and late Brig. Gen. Remawa.
The game of the kings was first played in Minna on the present U.K Bello Theatre site, where the first Polo Club House was sited but was later transferred to its present site at IBB Sport Complex.
The club became dormant for 10 years from 1977 to 1987 and was later revived once again by the late Senator (Dr.) Idris Kuta. Minna Polo Club is one of three Grade C Members of the NPF.
The support and collective efforts of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida , Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Col. Sani Bello, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Farouk Bahago, the Emir of Minna, among others have ensured the popularity of the king sports in the State.