The 2013 African Patrons Cup may have come and gone but
those who witnessed the tournament will not forget in a hurry, the passion, techniques
and dexterity Alhaji Sayyu Idris
Dantata, the Founder/Chairman of MRS Holdings Limited demonstrated at the pitch.
The money bag whose oil firm prides itself as one of Nigeria’s largest and
leading marketers of refined oil products was shuttling between Abuja, Lagos
and Kaduna where the tournament held, and these he did with his private jet
whenever his team was playing, he would hurriedly change into his MRS Jersey 1
or 2, mount his horse with team mates and storm the field like one who’s
playing to save a life. The trained mechanical engineer, who started his career
as the transport director with the Dangote Group and rose through the rank in
the organization was the cynosure of all eyes at the international polo tourney
winning more fans from spectators as the commentators wouldn’t stop chanting
his name “……Sayyu….Sayyu Dantata is with the ball….. And he scores!” Those were
the way the commentators described him and the crowd will then sing his
praises, he would shake hands with his expatriate players before they continued
the match. This went on till the Chief Executive Officer of the MRS Group and
polo patron took his team to the final. The final was however tougher than than
what they bargained for as the host club Fifth Chukker led by the Chairman
Prince Adamu Atta won by a wide margin.“I have been playing polo for more than 30
years now. I learned to play very early as a child – it is a family sport. My
current handicap is +4 and I mostly play here in Nigeria. My most memorable
tournament so far has been the Lagos Open in 1984. Having participated in so
many events now, at this point one only hopes for a successful tournament, free
of injuries and accidents! My favourite horse is called Iyabo. She is a local
breed, and I personally believe she is better than most of the thoroughbreds I
have. I think the future of polo in Nigeria looks bright. There are a lot
of up and coming players and I think there is a great deal of talent yet to be
discovered. I would like the future to be focused more on polo ‘the game’ than
the controversial stories that surround it. I am the founder and Chief
Executive Officer of MRS Holdings Limited, which deals in the oil and gas
industry. We are one of the largest and most successful downstream operations
in Nigeria, and we are expanding.
In the past few years we have acquired Chevron Nigeria and Texaco Nigeria. I
think the future of the business looks great – one always has to look on the
bright side”, The billionaire told National Enquirer's Faith Irabor recently
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