2024 Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament: Herbert Wigwe Cup highlights Access Bank UNICEF Charity tourney

2024 Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament: Herbert Wigwe Cup highlights Access Bank UNICEF Charity tourney

The prestigious 2024 UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament culminated in an exciting victory for Fifth Chukker and Barbedos teams over the weekend.

L-R: – Roosevelt Ogbonna M.D/ CEO Access Bank PLC; Adamu Attah, M.D, Fifth Chukker Polo Resort; Mallam Sani Uba, Executive Governor, Kaduna State; Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman, Access Holdings; Paul Usoro (SAN), Chairman, Access Bank Plc. pose with Fifth Chukker team, winners of the Herbert Wigwe Cup and the Charity Shield at the just concluded Charity Shield Polo Tournament in Kaduna.

The inauguration of the Herbert Wigwe Cup and the commissioning of a school project by Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, marked the event.

Governor Sani inaugurated the first 60-classroom complex and laid the foundation for an additional 60 classrooms built by Access Bank and its Charity Shield partners at Maraban Jos, Kaduna. He praised Herbert Wigwe for spearheading an initiative that has transformed the lives of orphaned and less privileged children. Wigwe’s dedication to humanitarian and educational causes, particularly for disadvantaged and out-of-school children, was highlighted as a lasting legacy.

“There is an important need for both private and public sectors to do a lot more in support of the Nigerian child, particularly orphans and vulnerable children, to enable them to look forward to a better tomorrow,” Governor Sani remarked while commissioning the school complex.

The Fifth Chukker team achieved a double victory, winning both the Charity Shield and the newly introduced Herbert Wigwe Cup, dedicated to the memory of the late promoter of the UNICEF Charity Shield Polo initiative. Additionally, Kaduna Barbedos triumphed over Lagos MSD BabyBears in a closely contested final to win the Usman Dantata Cup.

The tournament featured over twenty-five teams, with players from Argentina, South Africa, and top Nigerian athletes competing in four exciting finals across low, medium, intermediate, and high-goal categories.

Access Bank Managing Director, Roosevelt Ogbonna, expressed gratitude to Kaduna State for its exceptional charity partnership with Access Bank, Fifth Chukker, and UNICEF. He emphasised that the Charity Shield platform has significantly impacted communities in Kaduna State by providing essential social amenities. This commitment was further enhanced with the launch of the Give Project, aimed at raising funds to support the educational needs of students at the Access Bank Fifth Chukker School project in Maraban Jos, Kaduna.

Beyond its primary sponsorship, Access Bank Plc, renowned for its longstanding corporate social responsibility strategy, has consistently donated an additional N10 million at each edition of the event to UNICEF for this project.

The 2024 tournament not only showcased the exhilarating sport of polo but also highlighted the power of sports in supporting social causes. Participants, spectators, and organizers collectively contributed to the noble cause of UNICEF, uplifting the lives of children in need.

This edition of the tournament will be remembered for its thrilling matches, outstanding performances, and the charitable spirit that permeated the ten-day event.