Junaid takes charge as Guards Polo Club Abuja president
Abuja-based polo player and administrator Mustapha Junaid has emerged as the new president of the Guards Polo Club in Abuja. Junaid will lead a new management committee that includes Major
Abuja-based polo player and administrator Mustapha Junaid has emerged as the new president of the Guards Polo Club in Abuja.
Junaid will lead a new management committee that includes Major General Mohammad Inwua and Ahmed Sodnagi as First and Second Vice Presidents respectively.
Other members of the committee are Abba Kangiwa (Polo Captain), Bilamin Oniyang (Secretary), Ahmed Aminu (Tournament Manager), Khalid Zubairu (Treasurer), Muhammed Bunza (Ground Member) and Idris Badamasi (Pony Welfare Member).
The new executive also features Mohammed Sani Dauda as House Member, Abdulrasak Adegbenro Musa as Entertainment Member and Major Bolakale Alabi as Security Member.
Members of the Guards Polo Club pledged their support to the Junaid-led committee and expressed confidence that a new era had dawned for the noble game in the capital city.
"My task, my mission, my commitment to the Guards Polo Club is to lead it to the achievement of all the opportunities that we have, to promote polo in the capital city and reposition Nigerian polo globally," Junaid declared.
He thanked the immediate past administration led by Senator Haliru Dauda Jika for its hard work and dedication, while calling for suggestions and ideas to further grow the game in Abuja and Nigeria.
"The Abuja polo family has made its choice. On behalf of the management committee, I want to thank you all for that, as we start work immediately to justify and fulfil the trust you have placed in all of us today," he added.
The new committee's first major assignment will be preparation for the 2026 Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament — reputed as the biggest sporting and tourism festival celebrating Nigeria's rich cultural heritage during the internationally regarded Abuja City Festival.
Last year's edition ran for over two weeks of competitive play featuring more than 40 teams drawn from major polo centres across the country.
Mangal Cement fought hard to claim the President Cup from Rubicon with a 9-8 final, while a side from Minna caused a surprise to clinch the El-Amin Cup.
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Other winners included the Seyi Tinubu-led side, who edged Team Oluyede in a swift display of skill to claim the highly coveted COAS Cup, while the Popcola Team were the biggest winners on the pitch, clinching two major prizes. Having won the Legislative Shield in the opening week, the Kano-based side defeated Kaduna Musaco 6-3 to also lift the FCT Minister's Cup.
The Guards Polo Club Abuja, founded in September 1999 by His Royal Highness Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Sani and Major General Alwali Jarji Kazir (Rtd) , serves as the epicentre for elite polo and equestrian activities in the capital.
The club promotes equestrian sports for players of all ages across Abuja and Nigeria, operating as an independent body governed by its own constitution.
Few settings in Abuja match the serenity of the Brigade of Guards stable grounds in Asokoro, which offers a breath-taking view of Zuma Rock and stands as one of the city's most distinctive sporting venues.
Situated just off the expressway between Aya and Mpape junction, the facility boasts an international-sized polo field, stables, riding tracks and entertainment facilities open to players and non-players alike — a fitting home for what its devotees call the king of games.
