Nigerian-born Uneku Atawodi is credited as the world’s first black professional female polo player (and the only female player in West Africa). Drink in hand, she’s ready to share views on the sport she loves and on her style notes when she’s off the field.

What are you sipping?

Sorrel flower cocktail. I am in Nigeria at the moment, we call it ‘zobo’ here, and I thought I’d try it with a bottle of Jamaican rum I got while in Jamaica. Tastes divine! I am not a big drinker, as I am such a lightweight, but I do enjoy unique cocktails, and Champagne is my all-time weakness!

Where do you like to enjoy your cocktail and why?

Mostly on the plane, because it’s free! I travel so much that the only real time I get to just sit back with my phone not ringing or flashing, is on flights, and on my recent flight back from Dubai, I flew Emirates, and came off the plane at 3:00 am with wobbly legs from sampling all the many cocktails they have on there! I then had the pleasure of having dinner with friends of the owner of Emirates, and they tried to recreate everything I had on the flight to Dubai. Plane cocktails are the best!

Socialite or homebody?

A bit of both, but I do not go out much, as I am usually exhausted after polo, and really just want to sit back and constantly change the television channels without actually really watching anything, or read the papers.

How does it feel to be the world’s only active black female polo player?

It was rather difficult to get to the small achievement I have accomplished today, as I faced a lot of opposition from my parents, who would have preferred I did something a bit more conventional, like be a doctor or a lawyer! I do hope that I can encourage other people who want to chase a dream, or really just do something different to get up and do it! Because as my coach used to say, “You do realise you only have one life, right?”

How did your love affair with horses start?

I used to take riding lessons from when I was five; however, I oddly was very nonchalant about it, my older sister was more keen. When I was about 14, I took up hunting in England, and at 16 after a lot, a lot of discouragement from my uncles who play, I decided to try polo and immediately fell in love, so in love with it that I went on to study for a degree in Equestrian Science and graduated with an honours degree.

Flats or stilettos?

Flats!! I almost hate wearing heels…except when the occasion absolutely calls for it I like to be comfortable, and in 2008 I had a minor riding accident that left me with a twisted ankle, so it hurts a little when I wear heels for a long period. Thankfully, at 5’7 I am rather average height, and so don’t always need to wear them.

What’s your style?

Whatever I feel like wearing really, I LOVE black, though, almost everything I own is black: my car, my polo sticks, my horses!!

What’s your essential style item?

I think it is a bit unhealthy to be so obsessed with an item that you cannot do without it, so I am going to annoy a lot of fashionistas out there, and say my essential item should be polo gloves, because I never wear them on my rein hand, even though I really ought to, as my skin is so soft it just tears when I rub it against the horses reins too much.

What’s in the Chanel handbag?

My BlackBerry, which I have a very unhealthy addiction to. I walked into a glass door in Dubai, while strutting through a lobby and ‘BBM-ing’; it is actually a risk to my safety! My BlackBerry is more dangerous than a Jamaican driver to me! When I was in Jamaica, my old BlackBerry became dinner for the dogs and we spent up to two hours looking for it in the dark night through the bushes — we found it all chewed up and covered in spit. My host Lesley and I thankfully found the story extremely funny afterwards. I have my car keys in Nigeria in my bag, I am having to drive this as I lost my other car keys and so it just sat in the back of my house accumulating dust.

My lipgloss, brush, and a moisturiser I got from a wash bag on one of my flights.

Who does your hair?

Chris! He is this very eccentric, comical hairdresser on Baker Street in London. I love him. We have good banter during my hair appointments, filled with sushi and champagne!

Who does your nails?

I never do my nails, they would just chip off when I play.

What perfume are you spraying?

Dolce and Gabbana The One.

TV or a good book?

Always, always a good book. My mother studied English Literature at school, so she raised us with a book in our hands at all times. When my little brother was a little late with learning to read, my sisters and I taught him to memorise the WHOLE book by heart!! And when my mother asked him to read, he just said what he had memorised, till he read a page too fast, and the jig was up!

What’s your idea of the perfect date?

Grooming our horses together and having a nice chat, Chukkas, and dinner of sushi and Maltina afterwards!

What’s your idea of the perfect man?

There is no perfect man, but if you like a sport, that helps, which is pretty much every man! If you cannot understand my passion and near obsession with polo, and my need to travel so much, then we might butt heads.

What’s in your car stereo?

A Nigerian artiste Jesse Jags; his album is so unashamedly local that I am in love with it right now.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

On life? It is a climb, but the view is beautiful!

On polo… stick to your damn man, Neku!

What projects are you currently working on?

I am part of a movement called “Polo Girls” to be documented, started by a group of female polo players in America. I am an advisor for the ProPolo league, and I am working on quite a few polo projects internationally.

I lost my cousin in January to bowel cancer. He was only 20, and left behind his twin, who is one of my best friends. I am working on starting an annual polo match to honour his memory.

And 10 years from now?

Hopefully much wiser and (would have) achieved and surpassed my aims.