Nigeria Content Online

As the nation
heaves a sigh of relief after the national polls, the Nigerian polo
family, the management of Zaria Polo Club and enthusiasts of the sport
of kings are looking forward to the much-hyped Zaria annual polo
festival.

Traditionally
billed for the Easter holiday period, but pushed forward by the
elections, the Zaria 2011 festival, which holds later this month or
early June, would provide a convivial ambience for the polo fraternity
to celebrate with some of their own who made it at the polls.

Acting captain of
Zaria Polo Club, Alhaji Aminu Gagare who dropped this hint, said
arrangements are in top gear for Zaria to host its 2011 tournament.
Gagare, who would not confirm the date until he clears it with the
Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF), says the event will be one of the best
Zaria has witnessed in recent times.

“Arrangements are
on course and the club management has been holding discussions with our
patrons, benefactors and potential sponsors and everything is looking
good for a grand event that would further consolidate the return of
noble game to the ancient Zauzau kingdom,” Gagare said.

Zaria Polo Club,
which is bracing up to host its second tournament since coming out of
decades of inactivity, is overwhelmed by the level of interest as most
clubs across the country are jostling to play in Zaria.

“We are overwhelmed
by the huge interest our tournament is generating, and we are currently
discussing with officials of the Nigerian Polo Federation for
permission to invite more than the mandatory number of clubs for the
fiesta” the captain pointed out.

Getting ready

NPF President,
Francis Ogboro has confirmed that the body is working closely with
Zaria Polo Club to host the festival. According to the polo boss,
tournament details and the date for the tournament would be made public
soon.

Apart from the
growing interest from participating clubs that stretches from Port
Harcourt to Sokoto, Yola, Kaduna, Jos, Katsina, Bauchi and Abuja,
corporate organizations are angling to use the event to market their
products and services in Zaria and its environs.

Already, the polo
club nestling on the serene Queen Elizabeth Road in Zaria GRA, is
wearing a new look as a communications company is seeking to get Zaria
under its growing sponsorship list of polo events in the country.

A visit to the
university town reveals the whole city beaming, with its ever growing
student population, bracing up for a real festival as the polo ground,
the club house and the pavilion is wearing a new look.

Also, side boards was already in place with few horses trotting around as the countdown to the prestigious event begins.

The city will
receive thousands of visitors, as most of the players currently
preparing for the Polo World Cup qualifier, would use the event to
showcase their skills before departing to Malaysia.

The ancient kingdom
of Zazzau in Kaduna State came alive last year as polo made its long
awaited return to ancient city. The tournament, which attracted over
ten teams from Katsina, Kano, Kaduna and host Zaria, galloped off on
April 2 and climaxed with fanfare on April 4. The festival enjoyed the
blessing of the Emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris and his Katsina counterpart
and life chairman of Nigerian polo, Abdulmumuni Kabir.

The three-day
fiesta was undoubtedly the biggest sporting carnival the kingdom has
witnessed in decades, with tourists and polo enthusiasts arriving Zaria
in droves.

At the end of the event, Katsina Max Air and Kano Nakudu polo teams
emerged winners, carting home the highly-revered Royal Signal Cup and
the Emir of Zauzau Cup respectively.