THE sprawling city of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is warming up for one of its grandest moments, as the Nigerian polo train heads South South for this year's Niger Delta Polo annual polo festival.Billed for the legendary GRA Polo Ground, the polo extravaganza that draws crowd of royalties, top government officials, captains of industry and polo enthusiasts in their droves, is scheduled to gallop off on January 7, 2012.Port Harcourt Polo Club President, Shehu Bob-Manuel, who confirmed this date, assured that everything was on ground for what traditionally has been the biggest polo tournament in the whole of the oil rich region.'We are in high spirit and arrangements are in top gear for a grand polo festival. From every indication, Port Harcourt 2012 annual tournament is guaranteed to be the most exciting in so many ways and the tournament committee is working around the cloak to archive just that,' Bob-Manuel declared.Reputed for its pomp and pageantry, the Niger Delta fiesta that traditionally precedes the Lagos and Ibadan tournaments, promises to be the biggest and the most competitive in years, with Port Harcourt Polo Captain, Tony Isodje, who confirmed the record entries, promising that everything was set for a grand event with most of Nigeria's biggest polo patrons and the best of Nigerian players all booked for the carnival.Some of the Nigerian high-goalers expected to showcase their skills at the festival, the only regional event sanctioned by the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF), include Dawule Baba, Mohammed Kyari, Jamilu Mohammed, Bello Buba, Hamisu Buba, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ibrahim Abba, Mamuda Shehu, Tijani Hassan and Ibrahim Babangida, among others.Isodje listed the patrons to include Shuaibu Zakari, who would be hitting the Rivers capital city with his top firing Safaz Shelter and trucks load of supporters for event.Hadi Sirika, who has played and won most of the tournaments with his high-flying Rubicon team, is also expected in the GRA polo heaven.Preparations for the festival started last month with a well attended fund raising event in which over N15 million was raised by corporate and individual sponsors for the grand fiesta, which would for the first time feature a Naval polo team in the eight days of bumper-to- bumper polo extravaganza.Some of the big donors include Gesi Asamouel, who donated N5 million, Akanimo Udofia, Prince Tony Princewill, Mrs. Cookey Gam, Obelema Isokariari, Keniebi Okoko, Wilson Opuwei and Shehu Bob-Manuel, who all contributed N1 million each.Others are Osa Cookey, Victor Fingesi, Adense Oruwariye, Ahmed Shahimi, Ibiwari Pepple, Scot Tommey,Alhaji Abdulsamadu Rabiu, Maureen Tamuno, Eugene Abels, Celestine Ihuoma and Udeme Ekong, among others.Corporate support also came from traditional sponsors like Crush Rock Industries, Danelec Ltd,Aero Contractors, Pacific Ocean Ltd., Mikano Ltd., Dateline Energy, BUA Cement, ALGON Rivers State, Chilkie Security, andNadim Motors, among othersAs a Grade A NPF event, the biggest attraction of the Niger Delta Festival lies in its regional appeal, which for years has been the pride of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers states.The fact that polo enthusiasts from Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and neighbouring Imo and Abia states attend this festival annually in their thousands attest to the immense tourism and social values of the exciting game of polo in the Niger Delta.The event enjoys the advantage of being held during the New Year festive period and such a unique timing has served to draw majority of polo players to make the tournament a sure destination.Against the backdrop of the growing status of the Niger Delta region, many more tourists and guests would arrive the Garden City next week to savour the best of the game of kings.Some of the traditional trophies at stake during the January festival include the event's main prize, General Hassan Katsina Cup, the Governor's Cup, Presidents Cup, General Danjuma's Cup, Crushed Rock Cup, Roland Cookey- Gam Cup and Traditional Rulers Cup, among other selected prizes.Expectedly, an exceptional mix of Port Harcourt-based players and their visiting high goal counterparts from across the country are set to rumble for top honours. Port Harcourt 2012 polo extravaganza is guaranteed to be an unforgettable week of action-packed galloping fiesta.
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