Argungu Polo Tournament and Cultural Fete, a leading polo sports and cultural tourism festival in Nigeria, have been announced to hold on September 7 – 9, 2023 at Argungu, Kebbi State.
The polo festival which is in its 8th edition will have participants from Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries, including Niger and Benin Republic.
The Turakin Kebbi and Patron of NSK Polo Ranch and Resort, Nura Sani Kangiwa, confirmed this in Abuja in a statement signed by Joesef Karim, the Public Relations Officer, on behalf of the 2023 Argungu Polo Tournament and Cultural Fete Planning Committee recently.
The NSK Polo Ranch and Resort is the polo festival franchise owners and event organisers in Nigeria, while Turaki Nura Kangiwa is the current President of Nigeria Polo Federation (NPF) and the Director General of National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR). NSK Polo Ranch and Resort, situated along the Sokoto Road, in Argungu town, Kebbi State is the traditional host venue for this year’s Polo Tournament and Cultural festival.
On the expectations from the festival, Kangiwa said: “For this 8th edition, we will feature more top-tier Polo teams, showcase diverse traditional sports and sundry cultural entertainment indigenous to the ancient Argungu Kingdom and Northern Nigeria including traditional wrestling, camel racing, horse racing, folk dancing, bull fighting, and display of Northern Nigeria culinary arts.”
Over the years, Argungu Polo Tournament and Cultural Fete has emerged as one of the largest festivals of sports and culture in Nigeria and West Africa. It is a showcase of Nigerian Polo tournament and Northern-Nigeria traditional sports and rich cultural entertainment.
The Argungu Polo tournament is one of the most competitive in Nigeria. Top-level players and leading Polo teams in Nigeria have increasingly been competing for Cups, exalted trophies and laurels in the Argungu Polo Tournament. The event is always well attended by top Nigerian and foreign governments, Heads of government agencies, members of the diplomatic community and first class traditional rulers from West Africa.
Interestingly, Argungu’s myriad of tourism destination offering contributes in establishing the Argungu Polo tournament as a delight for domestic and inbound tourists.
Argungu is the host town of the UNESCO intangible heritage site: the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival.
Argungu Emirate is one of the most famous kingdoms in Northern Nigeria – dating back to the 19th century. The kingdom situated in present day Kebbi State, traverses parts of Niger and Benin Republic.