Kaduna is agog with excitement as preparation for this year’s First Bank of Nigeria Limited sponsored Emir of Zazzau African Patrons Cup and Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign gathers momentum. The African Patrons cup is an annual polo tournament which features Low, Medium and High goal teams from all around the world. The 2022 grand edition will be holding between November 1st – 6th, at the highbrow Fifth Chukker Polo Resort in Kaduna.
The weeklong mini polo tournament will feature notable teams like Mohammed Babangida’s Kaduna El-Amin, Y.Y Kangimi, Abuja Rubicon, Lagos MRS, while star players like Sayyu Dantata; Patron of Lagos MRS, Hadi Sirika; Patron of Abuja Rubicon, Adamu Attah; Patron of Fifth Chukker Polo team, Dawule Baba of DEEBEE Farms Polo Team, Bello Buba; Nigeria highest ranked polo player, Suleiman Abubakar; Kashim Bukar Shettima; Babangida Hassan are the notable polo players expected in Kaduna competition.
The players and their teams will compete for glamorous Patrons Cup. Apart from the star tournament, there is also the Hassan Katsina Cup that would feature medium-goal teams drawn from major polo centres across the country.
In addition to the activities, the annual Breast Cancer Awareness campaign will create awareness and promote education on breast cancer. The event will provide essential screening services to many women who cannot afford it, as well as enlighten women on the early detection signs.
Commenting on the Bank’s contribution to sports development in Nigeria, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank said “we are proud to have been associated with the African Patrons Cup Polo Tournament for many years, an event that truly captures the spirit of Sport which plays a crucial role to the socio-economic development of the society. We commend Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club for the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign as it underscores our commitment to the wellbeing of women, particularly with the indelible role they play to the growth of any nation”.
The First@Sport initiative remains part of the Bank’s influence in the development of sports in Nigeria. Added to the Bank’s sponsorship of the African Patrons Cup Polo Tournament which has been for 5 years, other tourneys sponsored by FirstBank include the Georgian Cup of Kaduna Polo Club, for over 100 years; the Dala Tennis Hard Court in Kano Club for over 30 years; the FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship in Ikoyi Club for over 60 years; and the Obasanjo Pro-Amateur tournament of Abeokuta Club now in its 6th year.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in West Africa and the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for over 128 years. With over 750 business locations and over 189,000 Banking Agents spread across 99% of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services to serve its over 30 million customers. The Bank has an international presence through its subsidiaries, FBNBank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as a Representative Office in Beijing.
The Bank has been handy at promoting digital payment in the country and has issued over 10million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in the country. FirstBank’s cashless transaction drive extends to having more than 12million people on its USSD Quick Banking service through the nationally renowned *894# Banking code and over 4.5 million people on FirstMobile platform.
Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and leadership. Over the years, the Bank has led the financing of private investment in infrastructure development in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’s privatisation and commercialisation schemes. With its global reach, FirstBank provides prospective investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that are available in Nigeria, an internationally competitive world-class brand and a credible financial partner.
FirstBank has been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row (2011 – 2016) by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group; “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017) by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards and “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years. Our brand purpose is always to put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of our business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand vision “To be the partner of the first choice in building your future”. Our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position You First in every respect.
Folake Ani-Mumuney
Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications
First Bank of Nigeria Limited