An epic
so exciting, you could choke on the popcorn. MTN/Zaria‘2012 international polo
extravaganza was undoubtedly them most riveting drama of the king of games in
recent history.
From
its colourful opening ceremony where a record 32 teams from across the country
lined up for action, to its flourishing climax played out in front of surging
crowd, it was certain that the aristocrats game of polo was truly at home in
Zaria
The
prestigious MTN/Zaria international polo tournament that made headlines all
week long came to a flourishing climax recently with Katsina, Kaduna and Yola
sweeping the stakes, just as host Zaria finishing on high with two impressive
runners-up titles.
Reveres
as one of the biggest polo festivals in the country, the MTN fiesta lived up to
its competitive and grandiose tradition with the ancient Zazzau kingdom and the
neighbouring states revealing in its enduring legacies.
The
first cup of the MTN powered event that was decided before a full house at the
legendary Zaria polo ground was the event’s biggest honour, the Royal Signal
Cup, which saw the top firing Katsina Max Air emerging the proud winners.
To
clinch the coveted title, quartet of Lawan Mangal, Umar Kabir, Muhammdu Seriki
and Nigeria’s top rated Bello Buba edged out two top rivals, Zaria Rubicon and
Kaduna Keffi Ponies, to clinch the coveted title.
Senator Hadi Sirika who entred his super stud team
as Zaria Rubicon as part of his crusade of promoting polo across the country
and beyond, gave Zaria their first Royal Signal Trophy title after a long dull, beating Kaduna to the
line.
Sirika and his aviation side who were vying for
their first Royal Signal title, proved pundits wrong with their runners-up finish.
Parading Malik Badamasi, Mamuda Shehu and the big shooting Jamilu Mohammed
outclassed Honourable Aliyu Wadada’s Kaduna Keffi Poines in the final game of
the tournament watched a mammoth crowd.
To cap an impressive outing for Zaria teams, home
crowd favourites, Zaria ASI added the University Cup runners-up title to the
title haul, giving the teeming Zaria polo buffs plenty to remember the
glamorous fiesta.
Kaduna
Polo Club that entered the largest number of teams, made good use of their
numbers with Kaduna Safaz Shelters out pacing two determined oppositions from
their arch rivals, Katsina to win the highly sort after Emir of Zazzau Cup.
To earn
their first major polo title in Zaria, the property developers parading Shuaibu
Zakari, Lado Aliyu, Yakubu Bachi and super , Bello Buba were forced to a score
draw by hot favouries, IT Sec, before they shoot down the tall ambition of
Masanawa 4=11/2 in a fiercely fought final.
Safaz
victory which was their first major title at the MTN/Zaria event, also provided
the boost for Kaduna Makblow team who battled a crowded field of over twelve
teams to clinch the University Cup, which saw host Zaria ASI beating Bauchi Nabada Farm to finish
runners-up.
The
race for the Governor’s Cup that pitched eight equally matched teams from
Kaduna, Katsina, Port Harcourt and Yola went straight to the wire, with the
winner emerging on the last day of the prestigious MTN polo extravaganza.
The
Governor’s Cup final which was decided before a surging crowd that included
royalties, diplomats and the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan
Yero, was fiercely contested with Yola Yelwa coming from behind to upset highly
favoured Kaduna Kawo 6-1/2 in a grudged game that the Kaduna boys filtered away
begging scoring chances.
The
beginners were not left out of the victory celebrations, as the promising MTN
team comprising
Jubrin
Magaji, Nafiu Rabiu, Ibrahim Rabiu and Salisu Sasi wrote their names in gold as
the first team to ever win the newly introduced Beginners Cup.
The
glamorous MTN polo festival organizes by the game's governing authority, the
Nigerian Polo Federation was witnessed thousands of polo buffs who thronged the
foremost Zaria Polo Ground on Queen Elizabeth Road on a daily basis.
Some of
the high profile guests include the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Kabie
Usman, Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, Kaduna State Governor, Partick
Yakowa, governors of Bauchi, Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Jigawa were
all represented on the final day of the grand festival.
With an estimated population of almost a million,
Zaria is located in northern Nigeria on a major north-south highway about 87
miles southwest of Kano. First known as Zazzau, the city was founded about 1000
years ago as one of the seven Hausa city-states. Zaria was captured by the
Fulani in 1805 and by the British, under Frederick Lugard, in 1901. Today, it
is the home of Ahmadu Bello University, built in 1962.
According to history, Zaria was an ordinary town
until 621 years ago when it became the headquarters of the Zazzau emirate
through the proclamation of one of the Habe emirs called Bako Tulunku, who was
not very comfortable with the security situation in Tulunku, the then capital
of the emirate, about 32 kilometers from present Zaria.
Initially, an early settlement of the Hausa, Fulani,
the Kanuris from the old Kanem-Bornu Empire and the Yoruba from Ogbomoso, Zaria
has grown into what is now generally referred to as a cosmopolitan city and the king of
sports, polo has contributed immensely to that transformation.
Outside the city gate, there are pockets of old
settlements. One of such settlements is Wusasa where the Anglican missionaries
first settled. In this settlement, there is a chapel that is more than 100
years old.
