Max Air, Safaz, Yelwa Made Zaria’2012 Polo History

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.