Guardian

ORGANISER of the prestigious Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament, Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club, has appointed Nigerian international and former Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, as the competition’s ambassador.

The announcement, which was made at the weekend at the ongoing Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield polo in Kaduna, confirmed that Kanu who succeeds Ethiopian super model, Yordanos Tershagar, will be the ambassador of the charity polo event for the 2013/2014 seasons.

In appointing Kanu as the new charity polo ambassador, Fifth Chukker hailed him as one of Africa’s soccer all-time greats, who is not just best known for his sublime leadership and skill on the soccer fields, but a generous philanthropist, whose endeavours off the field are just as dynamic and inspiring.

“Kanu isn’t just a soccer champion, he is a champion of children and the underprivileged whose desire to save lives, led him to establish the Kanu Heart Foundation that has aided the treatment of more that 500 people with heart defect,” the statement added.

The internationally acclaimed Access Bank UNICEF Charity Polo tournament, which enters its final stage on Thursday, has produced its first champions, with Work-to-Ride team from United States beating DeeBee Farmers from Nigeria, to win the coveted UNICEF Cup.

The Americans, who lost the cup to AUN of Yola last year, secured a narrow 5-4 victory over the hard-fighting DeeBee Farmers from Kaduna, to set an all time record of winning the UNICEF prize for the fourth time in six years.

Meanwhile, the hotly contested Access Bank Cup is set to produce a new champion this year, with Abuja Rubicon and Kano RTC winning all their streams matches to pick the final ticket ahead of favourites and defending champions DeeBee Farmers that could not make it through the group games.

Reputed as the biggest charity polo in Nigeria and perhaps on the African continent, the UNICEF Charity Polo is sponsored exclusively by one of Africa’s most innovative financial institutions, Access Bank Plc for the sixth year running.

Proceeds from gate takings, sale of memorabilia and donations at this annual tournament and cash donation from Access Bank Plc, is used to support UNICEF in its campaign against HIV/AIDS pandemic.