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L – R Pix 1 Ms. Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Access Bank Plc and Adam Taylor, Fifth Chukker Tournament Manager at the Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield pre-tournament press conference in Lagos today. |
Twenty-four
high-powered polo teams from across the globe are gearing up for Africa’s premium
polo extravaganza as the annual Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield Polo
tournament commences at the Fifth Chukker Lawns of Kangimi Resort in Kaduna
from May 20 to June 7, 2014.
The
month-long tournament sponsored by Access Bank is in its 7th year running. The
Access Bank Charity Shield was inaugurated by Fifth Chukker Polo and Country
Club in 2003 as a fund raising platform to support local charity
organizations. Since 2006, however, this effort has been exclusively
geared towards UNICEF’s intervention projects for orphans and vulnerable
children.
The
Access Bank-UNICEF polo fiesta which has been the biggest sporting attraction
in Nigeria and indeed Africa for over a decade, promises to be competitive and exciting,
with the introduction of the brand new Fifth Chukker Cup. The annual tournament
has established itself as the biggest and greatest attraction, regularly
pulling some of the most accomplished players in world, royalty and heavy
hitters in politics and industry.
The
low-goal Fifth Chukker Cup gallops off May 20th, with ten equally matched teams
jostling to make history as it first winner, is billed to climax on Sunday, May
25, at the lush lawn of Kangimi Resort in Kaduna. Teams vying for the low goal
title are Sheyi Oyinola’s SAO Polo who is set to rekindle their rivalry against
Hakeem Shagaya’s Unity Polo after their much talked about Dansa Cup clash in
Lagos last February.
Others
include Engineer Sani Umar’s Kano Susplan who is seeking to improve from their
Lagos Low Cup runners’ up finish recently, and Louis Enriguez powered Goly Polo
team which is set t arrive from Spain for the polo tourney. The list also include Yusuf Garba’s Kaduna
Yula Farms, Opaque Liberty, Ibah Oil & Gas, Niyya Farms, Optimum Riders and
Babaduna Kaloma led Terra E&P that has been part of the Charity Shield in
the past three years in the Access Bank Cup category.
Fifth
Chukker Polo Captain, Babangida Hassan Katsina who disclosed the list of
participating teams, expressed delight that the charity event has grown to
become one of the biggest humanitarian events on the continent, insisting that
his polo is proud to continue in its development of this established
partnership with Access Bank and UNICEF.
“Fifth
Chukker is proud to continue in its development of this established partnership
with Access Bank and UNICEF. The level of play continues to raise the bar in
Nigerian polo and captures a truly international following; the charity work
follows in a similar fashion,” Babangida added.
He
also added that Fifth Chukker is proud to welcome Mr. Kanu Nwankwo, Nigerian
ex-international footballer as the 2013/2014 Charity Ambassador who will
represent Fifth Chukker on charity initiatives concerning the welfare of the
vulnerable and underprivileged children of Nigeria.
Earlier, Executive Director, Personal
Banking, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu had said that proceed from sale of
memorabilia at the annual tournament in addition to the N10million donation
from Access Bank doubled from the annual N5million, would be used to support
UNICEF in its campaign against HIV AIDS pandemic projects for orphan and
vulnerable children”.
“This year’s tournament is more than
an affirmation of our commitment to socio-economic wellbeing of mankind and
acknowledgement of the impact the initiative has had on the lives of the
orphaned and vulnerable children northern Nigeria especially in Kaduna state;
it is also an opportunity for providing special care for Access Bank’s
customers through our Private Banking services”.
“Access Bank’s sponsorship of the
tournament is as a result of the similarities in the tournament’s objective and
the Bank’s relentless campaign against the pandemic,” Etuokwu pointed out,
adding that Access Bank is committed to supporting the charity shield event
which is organized in partnership with UNICEF and the Fifth Chukker Polo
tournament.
“UNICEF looks forward to expanding
this partnership to advocate the realisation of children’s rights with special
focus on safe and friendly school environments and early marriage says Jean
Gough”, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria
So
far, more than N100 million has been raised during the charity event, for underprivileged
children in northern Nigeria and this has been hailed as a huge achievement for
a sporting resort that began only ten years ago, and one that will ensure the
success of the ‘Game of Kings’ in Nigeria for many years to come.
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