Ibadan Polo’2016 Polo: Lead City Group, Kano, Lagos Share Top Honours

Ancient city of Ibadan in Oyo, celebrated one of its grandest moments, hosting the prestigious Ibadan’2016 Polo Tournament, which came to colourful climax recently with host Ibadan, visiting Lagos and Kano sweeping the stakes.

Just as Lagos snapped off a five jinx of playing second fiddle with a big win, Kano were only able to manage a solitary title, a dramatic departure from their show of supremacy in Ibadan.

Expectedly, Ibadan’2016 rumble will be fondly remembered by the home fans for gifting them their once lost Ibadan Cup. After an exciting week of intensive polo campaign, the Ibadan polo lords were the best for it, winning the event biggest prize, the Ibadan Cup.

With Nigeria’s World Cup star and tournament MVP award winner, Hamisu Buba pivoting Ibadan Lead City Group, the trio of Edozie Onwuli, Ahmed Umar and Ibadan polo skipper, Koyin Owoeye proved that determination and concentration are keys to successes.

They stared with a spark, defeating pre tournament favourites, Kano Susplan in their opening game and put out Lagos Caverton boosting Glory Ebano, Abdulmumini Musa, Murtala Dantala and patron, Rotimi Majankuela in a tense final match that ended 6-4 in favour of the home Boys.

Ibadan polo captain, Koyin Owoeye who described the event as one of the most exciting Ibadan tournaments in years, hailed all the visiting players and the teeming polo enthusiasts for making the glamorous fiesta such a huge success.

 “We are particularly indebted to our numerous sponsors for their unflinching support which ensures the successful hosting of this international polo tournament even at such notice,” Owoeye added.

"We are heading for Lagos, Kano and other tournaments with the right frame of mind, having picked up few tricks from our tournament. Anybody who stands on our way in any of the cups we are targeting would pay dearly for it," Owoeye warns.

Lagos that stormed the Oyo State capital city with four teams put up a good fight, harvesting one out of the three major titles at stake, while Kano who arrived the Ibadan capital city with a record seven teams, could only managed the Ade Alakija Cup won by the debuting Kano Fas Agro Sacks.

 The debuting Murtala Dankaka Fas Agro squad won the Ade Alakija Cup on first attempt, denying Ibadan Challenge the low-goal title in a hotly contested final.

The Ikoyi  based polo kings who have been playing second fiddle in the annual festival for four years now, produced the winners in the event’s second biggest title, Also playing their first Ibadan tournament, Lagos Marina outpaced Ibadan Leo Bigga Heirs team in the final to win the event’s medium-goal crown, the Rotimi Cup.

The second most wanted Ibadan polo title, Ibadan Cup that has been the most contested in years, produced a new winner; with the top firing Lead City Group team shooting  their way to glory bring down stiff opposition from Kano Susplan  who glow brightly with the runners’ up title  and Lagos Caverton, to earn the title.

Kano use to dictate the tune in Ibadan for years now, but this year we could only managed a single title out of the major prizes, The Ade Alakija Cup. There is nothing to celebrate about because we fail to maintain our status as the kings of Ibadan polo tournament,”   Vice Captain Kano Polo, Farouk Ibrahim frowns.

While Kano players are bracing up for an inquest, their Lagos counterparts were popping champagne for upsetting their arch rivals and restoring their pride in Ibadan this year.

“We were completely ignored as jokers because they (Kano) believe Ibadan belongs to them. Nobody gave us a chance to win anything this year, but now the table has turn and it will remain so for a long time,” declared the elated Lagos Marina captain, Adamu Yaro.

Other subsidiary prizes carted home by the winners include the Professor Jide Owoeye Cup, Ajimobi Cup, HST Cup and Shoreline Cup, among others.