Second generation of Babangida polo-playing youngsters were the biggest highlight of the 2024 Minna Annual Polo Tournament that came to a fitting climax last weekend as the EL-Amin polo team extended their supremacy to a greater height.
The Babangidas parading Zayan Fodio, Tima Mohammad, Khalil Mohammad and Khalifa Mohammad playing their first ever Minna polo tournament in the colours of Minna Phoenix team, defeated two rivals, Niger Fresh and El-Amin International School polo teams to win the newly introduced Aisha Babangida Cup.
The Phoenix was the tonic that sets off El-Amin and Profile polo teams to fire through over twenty more exposure oppositions from across the country to win three major titles and extend their dominations on the annual polo festival.
Perennial champions and title holders, El-Amin playing as El-Amin/Keffi Ponys, edged visiting Jos Malcomines polo team at the foremost IBB Polo Ground 4-31/ 2 in a fiercely fought final decided before a full house including Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, to retain the IBB Cup and the Abdulsalami Cup respectively.
Other winners of the week-long polo festival that is revered as the biggest sporting festival and tourism attraction in Niger State include El-Amin (1) team that edged their Profile rivals to win the Governor Cup and visiting Iyatu Farm from Kaduna who won the Gen. Hassan Katsina Cup denying host, Minna Bago the title.
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The Nigerian Army polo teams gave good account of themselves, shooting down their Minna Profile opponents in hotly contested final to clinch the first ever Emir of Minna Cup, just as Aminu Alhaji captain team and Hadiza Shehu led selected side enjoyed podium spotlights after winning the Senator Idris Kuta Cup and the Kere Ahmed Cup respectively.
Special Guest of Honour on the grand finale, Governor Bago who led President of Nigeria Polo Federation, Nura Sani Kangiwa, Emir of Minna, Lamido Adamawa’s representative and other dignitaries, to present prizes to the winners and runners-up at a colourful ceremony hailed the players for their discipline and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
Governor Bago who is also the President of Minna Polo Club, promised to build a befitting polo complex to further deepen the popularity of the king of games in the state, was particularly happy with the teenagers including his son, Marwan Bago who played for El-Amin International School polo team.
The ‘Farmer Governor’ who made the promise in his closing remarks of the 2024 Minna Polo Tournament, described the noble game of Polo as a diplomatic and a special sporting that game is full of entertainment and excitement.
He further disclosed that the new polo complex, complete to international standard, would make the sport more attractive, especially for younger generations and generate tourism to the Power State that boost many tourist attractions.
Chairman Minna Polo Club, Mohammad Babangida who thanked all the visiting players for honouring the invitation to adding colour and glamour to the 2024 edition of the annual event, congratulated all the winners of the major prizes, urging those who did not make it to victory podium to try harder next year.
“On behalf of the Tournament Committee and the club management, let me assure all who made this event memorable and colourful, that next year Minna polo tournament will be much bigger and more exciting,” Babangida added in his closing remarks.
The tournament was powered by the Niger State government with a consortium of blue-chip corporate organizations like Profile Group, El-Amin Polo, Heritage 5, Niger Food, Mazibe Farm, Niger State Internal Revenue Board, Senator Aliyu Wadada, Dangote Industries, among others.