Sports
Argungu Polo Tourney: IGP Strikers Performance Impresses Captain
Vice-Captain of IGP Strikers, Haruna Shagari, on Tuesday said his team’s performance at the just-concluded Argungu Polo Tournament was expected as they were always the team to beat.
The Tidesports source reports that the four-day tournament which was organised by the Patron of NSK Farms, Nura Kangiwa, ended on Sunday.
Shagari, also the team’s Vice-President, told newsmen that in spite of finishing as runners-up in the Umaru Shinkafi Cup, the IGP Strikers were always a team to beat in any tournament.
“IGP Strikers is an old polo team which has been in existence even before I joined the Nigeria Police Force.
“It has been headed by some senior officers back in the 70s and 80s, like the late Umaru Shinkafi, Bello Abdullahi, a retired AIG, and Keifas Silas, to mention a few.
“These were great polo players back in the days. So, we were and up till now a team to beat because in all the tournaments of the Nigeria Polo Federation (NPF) we have participated in, we usually finish as winners or at the very least as runners up,” he said.
Shagari however noted that in spite of all the team’s achievements, the major challenge hampering their performance in recent times was the quality of their ponies.
“We have done very well under the leadership of Aliyu Abubakar who is the President and Captain of the IGP Strikers.
“But our major challenge now is with our ponies. They are very old and worn out as these were the same ponies we have been using back in the days for our tournaments.
“So, that is our challenge now. Nevertheless, we have very good and experienced players, some of whom are young and more skillful. Even the few old hands are still very active.
“Some of these old hands are Abubakar (+1), my self (+1), Usman Abdullahi (-1), Abubakar Awwal (-2), Abdulrahaman Mohammed (+2), Ibrahim Dantala (+2), Lado Aliyu (+2), Babawo Lawal (+1) and Nda Bala (-1),” he said.
Shagari however explained that the team’s handicap had gone up, which was a major constraint, since they lacked the quality of ponies to compete at that level.
“We are always placed at the high goal category in any tournament we enter for due to our team’s handicap.
“Unfortunately, our ponies are very weak and cannot compete at the level which we are currently.
“We often times have no choice but to settle for lesser Cups since we cannot meet up with the standard and quality of ponies required at the high goal.
“In the past, we played in the low goal, which was perfect for our ponies at that time. But how can we compete with Argentine ponies now?
“So, even though our handicaps have placed us in the high goal, our local bred ponies are no match for the Argentine ponies,” he said.
The Police Superintendent said the locally-bred ponies were small in size and slow compared to the Argentine ponies which were much bigger, faster and more expensive.
“An Argentine pony can go for as high as N2 million to N5 million and some of our competitors have between 15 and 30 of them in their arsenal.
“So, how can you compete? You are not even allowed to play a local pony with an Argentine pony.
“It is said, and polo players admit, that the pony can account for as much as 85 per cent of their overall performance.
“So, this is a big challenge for us. We love to play polo and every other team in our category know we are a team to beat. But we don’t have the ponies to play,” he said.
Shagari therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioners of Police of the various State Commands, philanthropists as well as corporate organisations to assist the team in purchasing better ponies.
He said this would enable them compete favourably with their peers.(NAN)
Young basketball players have been urged not to sacrifice their education for sporting ambitions, as stakeholders at the third Elevate Basketball Clinic stressed the need for young athletes to develop both on and off the court.
The call was the thematic preoccupation of the clinic held on Saturday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, where hundreds of participants were taken through basic basketball skills and drills.
The third edition of the clinic, organised by Elevate Basketball Academy in partnership with the Lagos State Basketball Association, brought together hundreds of youngsters, mostly under the age of 16.
Founder and sponsor of the clinic, Akinwande Oshodi, said the initiative was designed to use basketball as a vehicle for youth empowerment while helping participants understand the values required to succeed in life.
“The end game is to elevate basketball and it’s about empowering the youth through basketball. It’s not just about the game, it’s about life, helping the students to understand what it takes to be successful,” Oshodi said.
Oshodi, who is Lagos-born but based in the United States, also disclosed plans to establish a foundation focused on basketball and athletics while creating opportunities for educational enrichment.
“This year, we are planning on tracking statistics so we can share with our sponsors what we have been doing over the last three years,” he added.
Oshodi’s mother, Bosede Ode, a sports nurse who worked with the Lagos State Government at Rowe Park, also stressed the importance of combining sporting development with academic pursuits.
“I’m very encouraged that more girls are in sports than what it used to be. I just want to encourage them to focus on not just sports but their education as well,” Ode said.
Ode said her son’s experience had reinforced the importance of education, recalling that an injury prevented him from pursuing basketball professionally but that his education had helped him build a life beyond the sport.
“I always tell my son about the importance of education, he had an injury which prevented him from playing professionally, but with education, that is helping him through life and giving back to the society. When he was small, he played basketball through school and I’ve always encouraged him,” she added.
The message was also reflected in the experience of one of the participants, Abdulkareem Abdulraheem, who attended the clinic for the second consecutive year.
Abdulraheem said the progress he observed among participants compared to last year had motivated him to keep improving, adding that he also makes time for his academics despite training regularly.
“The motivation is high. Last year I saw some people that were learning how to bounce the ball. This year, I’m seeing people play more and that is motivating me to never give up,” he said.
“For me, I train like three times a week and I make enough time for my academics as well, and that is one of the teachings of this clinic.”
Coordinator Gbade Olatona said the initiative was also aimed at using basketball to nurture discipline, leadership and responsible citizenship among young people.
Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has sought to position basketball as more than a competitive sport, using the game as a platform for mentorship, character development and creating opportunities for young people.
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will miss both the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup after they were eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou on Saturday.
The result in their second Group B match at the Stade du 4 Août left the five-time world champions bottom of the table with a solitary point from two games, ending their hopes of qualification.
The Golden Eaglets needed a victory after losing 2-1 to Niger Republic in their opening match last Wednesday, but they could not find the result required to stay alive in the competition.
Nigeria fell behind in the 16th minute when Alex Fousseni scored for Ivory Coast, leaving head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side with an uphill task.
The young Nigerians continued to push for an equaliser and were rewarded in the 84th minute, when Abiodun John levelled the scores to set up a tense finish. Despite their late efforts, they could not find a winner.
Niger Republic finished top of Group B with four points, while Ivory Coast took second place with two points.
The failure to progress means Nigeria will miss the U-17 AFCON for the third consecutive edition, having also failed to qualify for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments, both hosted by Morocco. The North African country will also host the 2027 edition.
The disappointment extends to the global stage, as the team will miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition. The Golden Eaglets last took part in the tournament in 2019.
Former Ajax defender Frank de Boer has urged supporters to be patient with Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare, saying the forward should simply be allowed to play.
De Boer was speaking about the early excitement around the Nigerian at Ajax. He did not compare Arokodare to Marco van Basten or Patrick Kluivert. He used the two former Ajax strikers as an example of how Dutch fans tend to judge every new forward.
“We are used to comparing a striker to Van Basten and Kluivert, but I have also seen a few times that he is technically gifted and that you can make very good use of him. I have seen some great things. So just let him play,” De Boer told Tidesports source, via Ajax Showtime.
Arokodare joined Ajax from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer on a season-long loan with an option to buy, after a difficult spell in the Premier League.
He has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances across all competitions, despite starting only six of those games.
The 25-year-old played the full 90 minutes of Ajax’s UEFA Conference League game away to Hajduk Split on Thursday but did not score.
De Boer, who played for Ajax and the Netherlands, also said the club could get more from Arokodare by delivering crosses from the flanks, which would suit his game in the penalty area.