The 2018 edition of the prestigious Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament is scheduled to hold at Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort, Kaduna, from Monday, June 18 – Sunday, June 24, 8 with 15 teams vying for honours in three cup categories, organizers of the event said in a press conference in Lagos Tuesday.
Revered as the biggest charity and sporting attraction in Nigeria and perhaps on the African continent for years, the 2018 edition promises to be the most competitive and exciting with a record number of entries loaded with international stars from around the world expected to vie for honours.
Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access BankPlc, Victor Etuokwu, who confirmed the tournament date, said the Bank will continue to maintain its yearly commitment in supporting UNICEF towards its projects for orphans and vulnerable children.
He noted that Access Bank and Fifth Chukker had over the years been supporting UNICEF and empowering people in Maraban Jos community and its environs in Kaduna in a pivotal commitment that has continually been lauded by the public.
“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 in northern Nigeria especially in Kaduna state,” he emphasized.
The event, which is in its eleventh year of Access Bank exclusive sponsorship, is a reaffirmation of the importance the financial power house attaches to the lives of the orphaned and vulnerable children in Nigeria.
Etuokwu who led other top officials of Access Bank to the media event, expressed delight that the Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield is archiving its main objective of reaching out to the less privilege children in the society.
“We have been working in Kaduna, in collaboration with Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort and UNICEF to elevate quality of lives. We need to do a lot more in support of these orphans and vulnerable children to enable them look forward to a better tomorrow,” he added.
According to him, “Reports from UNICEF and our visits to the orphaned and vulnerable children in Kaduna state provided us with a soothing level of assurance that our sponsorship of the competition is delivering on our institutional objective and resolve of promoting sustainability though every of our activity”.
Marketing Manager of Fifth Chukker, Hafsat Ambursa said special food and entertainment fares have been added to the event this year, to make it more exciting. She also disclosed that cuisines from Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Argentine and host Nigeria would be exhibited during the week-long charity Polo fiesta.
“Fifth Chukker is proud to continue in its development of this established partnership with Access Bank and UNICEF. As 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,” she added.
UNICEF Partnerships Officer, Angela Ochuko Ege, said, “There are millions of Nigerian children out of school and many of them are from the north. I do believe the power of education will transform the society. So, UNICEF looks forward to expanding this partnership (with Access Bank) to advocate the realization of children’s rights as well.”
UNICEF also disclosed that there are millions of Nigerian children out of school and many of them are from the north. “We do believe the power of education will transform the society. So, we look forward to expanding this partnership (with Access Bank Plc.) to advocate the realization of children’s rights.”
Campaigns for the glittering Access Bank Cup and the low-goal UNICEF Cup promise to be an exciting experience with regulars and debutants bracing for fierce games in a potentially explosive confrontations that may remain tight up till the very final day of the grand fiesta.
Defending champions, Leighton Kings who are seeking their second Charity Shield title, will have their hands full as they battle two former finalists, Abuja Rubicon and KeffiPonys for the continental polo crown.
The Access Bank Charity Shield Polo tournament 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.
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 partnership.
Anthony Nlebem
