Sports

FirstBank Hits 100th Year of Sponsoring Georgian Polo Cup, Longest Ever

Published

6 years ago

October 15, 2019

Eric

In furtherance of its commitment to the growth and development of sports, nation building and the economy at large, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced its sponsorship of the Georgian Cup of the Kaduna Polo Tournament for the 100th consecutive year, possibly the longest running sports sponsorship in the world and a Guinness Book of Records potential. The 2019 edition of the epoch making sports championship runs from October 12 – 20, 2019 at the Kaduna Polo Club, Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna.

The Kaduna Georgian Cup Centenary Polo Tournament commenced in 1919, with FirstBank sponsoring the sports tournament for a 100 years. The Cup which was donated by the Bank to the Kaduna Polo Club, is the oldest and most respected Polo trophy in West Africa.

The 2018 edition of the tournament was won by team El-Amin, also billed to participate in the 2019 edition to defend its trophy, contested by other teams including Rubicon, Imani, Malcomines, and Lintex Agad. A total of 45 teams are billed for the 2019 tournament.

Speaking on FirstBank’s unwavering centenary sponsorship of the Tournament, the President, Kaduna Polo Club, Alhaji Suleman Abubakar said “the Georgian Cup Polo Tournament is indeed the Premier Polo Tournament in the country and it has proudly birthed many other sporting events across the country as well as the West African sub region as a whole. We are honoured to record such a milestone with FirstBank since the inception of the tournament 100 years ago.

“Indeed, FirstBank remains a noble brand close to our heart at the Kaduna Polo Club and the tournament has indeed been a catalyst of socio-economic growth of Kaduna and the nation as a whole” he concluded.

FirstBank’s sponsorship of the Georgian cup is perhaps the longest standing sports sponsorship in the world, a reflection of a long-lasting partnership that aligns with heritage, shared values, elite performance and quality, all attributes worthy of celebration. This record sponsorship has been filed by the Kaduna Polo Club for consideration by the Guinness Book of World Records under the longest main sponsorship of a sporting world championship title.

Expressing the Bank’s delight on the sponsorship, the Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Folake Ani-Mumuney said “2019 is indeed an eventful year for us and one of the many highpoints since we were founded 125 years ago. Part of our excitement stems from the pride we feel at having supported the Georgian Cup Polo Tournament for 100 years consistently. We are indeed proud to achieve this feat as it reinforces our leadership role as an institution committed to the continued growth and development of sports and the economy at large. The Georgian Cup Polo Tournament is one of the many heritage sporting sponsorships supported by FirstBank over the years. Another example is the FirstBank 58th Lagos Amateur Golf Open tournament, in partnership with Ikoyi Club 1938 holding in November this year which we have also supported for 57 years. We dare say perhaps another record in sports sponsorship”

This unprecedented Polo extravaganza boasts notable players such as Chris Mckenzie, the best South African polo player; Max Charlton, the Best British polo player as well as other top Argentine players in attendance amongst many other professionals.

Sports

Super Eagles Beat Tanzania 2-1 in AFCON Opener

Published

19 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Eric

A dominant but wasteful Super Eagles, on Tuesday, beat Tanzania 2-1 to begin their campaign at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman scored one goal apiece to give the Super Eagles all three points at stake.

The West Brom defender rose highest to power home an Alex Iwobi cross in the 37th minute to put the Super Eagles’ noses ahead in the Group C encounter.

Lookman netted the second for Nigeria 52 minutes into the clash to ensure all three points for the Super Eagles.

Nigeria, off the back of a heartbreaking 2026 World Cup qualification failure, expectedly dominated play in the early exchanges in Fes, Morocco.

With about 10 minutes on the clock, Sevilla’s Akor Adam struck the woodwork in what could have been Nigeria’s opener at the 2025 AFCON.

Minutes later, Victor Osimhen almost doubled the lead for the Super Eagles, but his effort was cleared off the line. With 45 minutes played, Nigeria entered the tunnel with a 1-0 advantage over the Taifa Stars.

Two minutes into the second half, the former Napoli forward thought he had scored after finding the net. But his 52nd-minute effort was ruled out for offside.

Shortly afterwards, the East Africans took advantage of Nigeria’s defence sloppiness to level things via a finish by William M’Mombwa.

But it took two minutes for the three-time champions to retake the lead. This time, Lookman, who features for Atalanta in the Italian Serie A, found himself at the edge of the Tanzanian post from where he fired past goalkeeper Zuberi Masudi as the ball nestled home!

Eric Chelle introduced veteran Moses Simon for Adams in the vain hope of building a wider lead ahead of what is likely to be their toughest Group C match, against Tunisia in Fes on Saturday.

Tanzania squandered a chance to equalise with three minutes of regular time remaining as a Mohamed Hussein cross evaded Stanley Nwabali, but substitute Kelvin John failed to connect with the ball.

With three points, the Super Eagles now turn their attention to Saturday’s game against the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia. Victory in that match will guarantee them a place in the round of 16!

AFP

Sports

Jake Paul Lands in Hospital with Broken Jaw after Anthony Joshua Trashing

Published

3 days ago

December 22, 2025

Eric

Jake Paul has been admitted to hospital after reportedly suffering a suspected fractured jaw during his six-round defeat to former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in Miami.

The 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-professional boxer put up a determined performance throughout the contest but was ultimately overwhelmed by Joshua’s superior size, experience and power.

After the fight, Paul revealed concerns that his jaw might be broken. His promoter, Nakisa Bidarian, later confirmed that Paul was undergoing medical checks, noting that his recovery period could last between four and six weeks.

Despite the injury, Paul remained positive in his post-fight reaction.

“I feel good. It was fun, and I truly love this sport,” he said, while also sharing graphic photos and videos on social media that showed the physical impact of the bout.

The former cruiserweight contender stated that he intends to take a short break before returning to the ring, stressing that his ambition to challenge for a cruiserweight world title remains intact.

“We’ll heal the jaw, come back stronger and fight opponents in my weight class. Anthony Joshua is a great champion. I lost, but that’s boxing. I’ll be back and keep moving forward,” Paul said.

Reflecting further on the fight, Paul acknowledged that fatigue played a key role in his loss.

Sports

Anthony Joshua Defeats Jake Paul in Sixth-round Knockout

Published

5 days ago

December 20, 2025

Eric

Former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, delivered a dominant performance on Saturday morning, stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul with a sixth-round knockout in their heavyweight bout in Miami.

Although Paul exceeded expectations by lasting beyond the early rounds, Joshua’s superior power and experience proved decisive, according to The Athletic.

The British boxer dropped Paul twice during a chaotic fifth round, setting the stage for the finish.

Joshua sealed the victory in the sixth round, unleashing a sustained combination of heavy punches that left Paul unable to continue, prompting the referee to halt the contest.

Speaking after the fight, Joshua turned his attention to longtime rival Tyson Fury, challenging him to step into the ring.

“Put down (your) Twitter fingers and put on some gloves and come and fight me,” he said.

Paul, who later revealed he suffered a broken jaw in the bout, declined to name a future opponent.

Instead, the boxer said he would take a break from boxing following the loss, which marked the second defeat of his professional career.

Paul, who is ranked as the No. 14 cruiserweight with the WBA, has defeated back-to-back former boxing world champions.

He comfortably beat a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in November 2024 on Netflix’s boxing debut and most recently outpointed a 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. this past June.