Minister commends Guards Brigade for popularizing Polo

By Albert Akota

The Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Tammy Danagogo has commended the Guards Brigade Polo Club for its efforts in organising tournaments that attract players of international reputation which has enhanced tourism in Nigeria through the game of Polo.

He noted that the Club is the pioneer Polo Club in Abuja and therefore applauded the Club in its efforts in rendering humanitarian support to the society.

Danagogo made the declaration yesterday when the members of the Guards Brigade Polo Club Management Committee led by the Vice President and Special Assistant to the Niger State Governor, Adamu Usman paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

However, the Minister lamented the absence of Polo as a sport in the sporting curricula and wondered if the non-popularity of the game could be attributed to its elitist nature.

He therefore charged the club to come up with programmes that could enlighten Nigerians on the modus operandi of Polo to enhance it becoming a household game.

Danagogo then assured the Committee of the support of the National Sports Commission in ensuring its popularity.

The Minister accepted his induction as an honorary member of the Club and promised to send a delegation of a Director’s cadre to represent him in the Club’s next tournament.

Speaking earlier, the Vice President and Special Assistant to the Niger State Governor, Adamu Usman who led the Committee stated that the Club had lined up five tournaments scheduled for this year. Adding that it had planned infrastructural development and tourism opportunities which serve as window for giving back to the society on the investment it had put on the club.

Usman maintained that the game was erroneously regarded as elitist but as a social means of interaction and tourism because it involves international players.