By Ohuakanwa Chibuzo
The inaugural week of the 120th edition of the NPA/GTCO Lagos International Polo Tournament witnessed impressive performances from Lagos Trojan Ark, STL, and Kaduna Sublime Dangote, claiming top honors.
In a closely contested final match, Trojan Ark secured victory in the ChapelHill Dandem Open Cup with a 9-8 scoreline against Lagos, emerging as the champions of the Oba of Lagos Cup.
The Dapo Ojora Memorial Cup was claimed by the visiting Kaduna Sublime/Dangote team, who clinched victory with a golden goal against the Open Cup record holder, Lagos Leighton, sending a formidable message to the home teams.
As the prestigious polo festival enters its second week, the competition intensifies with four teams, including defending champions Leighton Kings, Lagos Shoreline/Art team, Open Cup winners Trojan/Ark, and the ambitious Abuja Rubicon, vying for the coveted Majekodunmi Cup.
Tournament Manager Mayowa Ogunnusi confirmed an anticipated clash between defending champions Leighton Kings and the visiting Abuja Rub team, marking the opening game of the Majekodunmi Cup series.
Additionally, three subsidiary prizes—the Governor/Heritage Cup, the Independence Cup, and the Italian Ambassador’s Cup—add further excitement to the second week, culminating in a thrilling finale on Sunday.
The festival boasts a distinguished lineup of sponsors, with GTCO leading alongside Arbico, Vueve Clicquot, ChapelHill Denem, BUA, Metro Capital, and MTN, among others.
Makanjuola, speaking at the pre-event press conference, announced a historic change: the 120th edition of the Lagos polo festival would span four weeks, a departure from tradition.
Subsequent weeks will feature teams competing for the Low Cup from February 6-11, 2024, and the grand finale will showcase equally matched low-goal teams contending for the Silver Cup from February 13-18, 2024.