Defending champions Jos Malcomines continued their remarkable run at the 2026 Bauchi Annual Polo Tournament, winning a seventh straight outing as they beat former titleholders Bauchi Dokaji to lift the Governor’s Cup again.
Key takeaways
- Jos Malcomines captured the Governor’s Cup with a win over Bauchi Dokaji to extend their consecutive tournament success to seven.
- The weeklong event took place at the Col. A.D. Umar Polo Ground in Bauchi and featured competition across four major trophy categories.
- Isa Kwame highlighted the team’s ability to turn earlier tight finals into decisive results this time around.
- Jos Crown Club Resort retained the tournament’s second-highest tier title, prevailing on goal difference over Kano Pop Cola and Kano Iba.
- In the medium-goal contests, Kano’s Gilasso/Ismanaf side won both the Sarkin Fulani Cup and the Tafawa Balewa Cup, with Bauchi Voladora finishing runners-up in both.
- Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed attended as Special Guest of Honour via SSG Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, with state leaders and dignitaries also present.
Jos Malcomines claim a seventh straight Governor’s Cup
Jos Malcomines secured the Governor’s Cup by defeating Bauchi Dokaji, adding another chapter to their dominance at the Bauchi Annual Polo Tournament. The triumph ensured the champions kept the trophy after extending a streak of seven successive wins at the event.
Captain Isa Kwame spoke with pride at the trophy ceremony, reflecting on how the final between the two sides had previously been settled by a coin toss following two drawn contests. This time, he said the team delivered with two standout victories to confirm their status as Bauchi polo champions.
Other category winners and final-day honours
In the tournament’s second-highest tier, Jos Crown Club Resort defended their crown by finishing ahead of Kano Pop Cola and Kano Iba on goal difference. Kano Pop Cola ended the category as runners-up.
Yusuf Dauda, captain of the Jos Polo team, praised his players for their discipline and stressed that Nigerian polo needs greater involvement from younger talent. He also commended the hosts for putting together a successful competition.
For the medium-goal categories, Kano Gilasso/Ismanaf overcame Bauchi Voladora 3.5–2 to win the Sarkin Fulani Cup. The Kano side then added the Tafawa Balewa Cup as well, an annual prize contested in honour of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first and only prime minister. Bauchi Voladora, meanwhile, were beaten into the runner-up spot in both the Sarkin Fulani Cup and the Tafawa Balewa Cup categories.
Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed served as Special Guest of Honour on the final day. He was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, who congratulated the participants and reaffirmed the state’s focus on sports development.
Hammayo also delivered the Governor’s message that funding for polo infrastructure and sponsorship will continue, with the state viewing sport as a key driver of youth engagement. He added that sports provide a major platform for national unity, peace, and tourism development in Bauchi State, home to the Yankari Game Reserve.
The closing stages drew attendance from senior traditional authorities and other dignitaries, including the Emir of Bauchi, His Royal Highness Alhaji (Dr.) Ridwan Suleiman Adamu, as well as Col. A.D. Umar (rtd), the Life Chairman of Bauchi Polo.
At the event’s end, Bauchi Polo Club President Gen. I.I. Adamu, Vice President Aliyu Sambo, and Secretary Haruna Ningi thanked the state government and corporate sponsors for their backing. They also praised the discipline and sportsmanship shown by both the players and spectators throughout the weeklong tournament.
