-By Saidu Abubakar
The 2020 Keffi Polo Tournament which came to a close on Sunday, 6th December at the ultramodern Keffi Polo Ranch, along Keffi – Abuja expressway was a climax of this year’s polo season worthy of note. Not only was the six-day long event a thriller to polo enthusiasts who thronged the Ranch to catch fun, foreign players joined the locals to make the tournament a very memorable event.
Finalists that thrilled guests and spectators were Lintex Team, captained by Bashir Dantata and Malcomines, captained by Murtala Ahmadu Laushi. Lintex won the final in the high goal while in the medium goal, the cup was won by Rubicon Polo Team, captained by Mujahid Sirika.
The Education Cup was won by 30 Horse Power Polo Team, captained by Mustapha Junaid, vice chairman of the Guards Polo Club in Abuja. The PAN Cup was won by 508 Polo Team, captained by Babaduna Kaloma Ali.
Bashir Dantata, Abdulmalik Badamasi and Idris Badamasi- inspired Lintex team to subdue Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada’s Keffi Ponys 10-5½ to win the President’s Cup sponsored by PAN.
Lintex went into the final match with a 2½ goal deficit for their superior handicap placing but used the first and second chukkas to cancel the deficit to record a resounding victory in the remaining chukkas.
5008 club defeated their 3008 club opponents 6-3 in the first match to win the Challenge Cup subsidiary title.
Sponsored by Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) Limited in conjunction with Keystone Bank, this year’s tournament’s bottomline was fully to support the education of children, as about 30,000 exercise books including other materials were earmarked for distribution to pupils across Nassarawa state. “We wish to grow the gesture by making it national soon”, Tournament Manager, Babaduna Kaloma Ali assured Valuechain.
Interestingly, one thing that was glaring during the tournament was the cordial relationship between the founder of Keffi Polo Ranch/chairman of PAN, Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Sarkin Yakin Keffi) and the R.H. Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who graciously added colour to the closing ceremony with his presence as special guest of honour. High point of the closing ceremony was the Speaker’s official unveiling of PAN’s newest brand of vehicles. He was joined by the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Dr. Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, former Minister of sports, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, Major-General MSA Aliyu of the Nigerian Army Polo Association and the Emir of Lafia, HRH Alh. Sidi Bage Muhammad, among other traditional rulers and polo enthusiasts who watched the grand finale. The newest vehicle models unveiled by the Hon. Speaker will be produced by PAN at its Kaduna plant.
The models include the Higer H5C 16-seater bus, the Higer H6C 19-seater bus, and the Higer Ambulance. They are vehicles, which can be optimally used for mass transit, as school buses, and for ambulance services.
In addition to having a spacious leg and headroom, the buses are equipped with features such as USB charging ports for all passengers/occupants, park-assist, rear camera, and DVD/15’ LCD Display.
Moreover, the Higer Ambulance is fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment such as suction catheters, stretcher belts and anatomical mattress, silicon resuscitators with mask, pulse oximeter, digital thermometer, 2kg fire extinguisher, automatic loading stretcher, scoop stretcher, AC/DC electronic suction machine, and oxygen regulator, among others.