27  Polo Teams Storm Fifth Chukker for  Herbert Wigwe

A record 27 teams, listing several defending and former champions, are battling for top honours across four handicap categories in this year’s Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament.

The tournament is scheduled to begin May 28 through June 8, 2024, at Fifth Chukker lawn, Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, Kaduna. 

The coveted trophies, to be competed for in two stages, include; UNICEF Cup, Access Bank Cup, Usman Dantata Cup and the Charity Shield. 

In a multi-media release by Fifth Chukker Head of Administration, Yusuf Saab, the  2-week long event is dedicated to the memory of Herbert Wigwe, the late former Group CEO of Access Corporation who died in helicopter crash along with his wife and son in California in February. 

“Mr Wigwe was a most beloved partner and benefactor, and he personally oversaw the realization of several impact-driven community projects benefitting orphaned and vulnerable children in northern Nigeria and especially in Kaduna State,” the release added.

The first stage of the tournament, from May 28 to June 2, 2024 will decide the destination of two trophies. The UNICEF Cup is being contested by Mangal Cement, Brickmore, SKK Farms, AW Mohali, Tharwa BoiBoi,  Barbedos II, Gilas Ismanaf, Polo Magazine, MSR and MSD BabyBear II. 

The medium goal Access Bank Cup fields Max Air, Clearwater Farms, Farm To You, Fifth Chukker II and Access Bank.

The Usman Dantata Cup raises the curtains for the second and grand finale stage billed for June 4 to 8, 2024.

The teams in the mix for this title include Badako Zaz, Sublime 60 Yards, Rumbu, Pop Cola, Clearwater Farms II, MSD BabyBear, Barbedos and Brickmore. 

Thereafter, two of Nigeria’s biggest and most celebrated high goal 

teams, Malcomines and title holders Fifth Chukker, will square off for the Charity Shield decider on the penultimate day of the tournament, and then return to the fray on the finale for the Herbert Wigwe Memorial Cup to draw the 2024 tournament a close.

Earlier on Monday, the tournament week was flagged off with the club’s traditional Children’s day celebration at the Access Bank Fifth Chukker School, Maraban-Jos Kaduna. The event was mostly dedicated to the memory  of Herbert Wigwe, the school’s co-founder. 

The pupils paid stirring and emotional tribute to the late Access group CEO with song and poetry renditions to ovations from the packed arena that included Guest Speaker Professor Aisha  Maude Suleiman of the Ahmadu Bello University, as well as representatives of UNICEF, Access Bank and Kaduna State Government.