Insurers’ Incredible Unbeaten Run

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

Bendel Insurance and Lobi Stars are currently leading their respective groups, Group A and Group B, in the Nigeria Premier Football League as the league takes a mid-season break. Promoted from the Nigerian National League last season, they have been the surprise package of the season so far with an impressive record of seven wins and two draws from their nine outings.

The team has remained unbeaten and currently holds a seven-point lead at the top of Group A table, which underlines their title credentials. In their latest match, they secured a 1-0 win against Enyimba, who are eighttime champions.

There were signs that Bendel Insurance were the real deal, even before the new season kicked off. Early in November 2022, the freshly promoted side beat Brazil’s Santos FC 2-1 in a pre-season friendly match as the Benin City-based team prepared for the upcoming top-flight season. The match was played at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State and it was a good way for the club to register its quality and level.

However, Bendel Insurance are not new kids on the block. They are a historical football club in Nigeria, with a rich tradition of producing top-class talents who have gone on to play for the national team, the Super Eagles. The likes of Osaze Odemwingie, Ifeanyi Udeze, Julius Aghaowa and Pius Ikedia started their careers at the club before they became successful.

Yet, despite this rich history, the club has faced numerous financial and administrative crises over the years. Bendel Insurance recently gained promotion

There were signs that Bendel Insurance were the real deal, even before the new season kicked off. Early in November 2022, the freshly promoted side beat Brazil’s Santos FC 2-1 in a pre-season friendly match as the Benin Citybased team prepared for the upcoming top-flight season back to the Nigerian topflight league due to the renewed support of the government and corporate bodies that have aligned with the project to return the club to its glory years. This process is what the domestic league is witnessing as the club began the season with a win away at Akwa United. It was a win that look fortuitous at the beginning and appeared to be beginners' luck.

To dispel the attribution of their determination to excel to luck, it is apposite to take a step back and see how they have overcome adversity to return to the summit of the local league. Founded by Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, they were one of the founding members of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972. Based in Benin City, Bendel Insurance play their home matches at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium with a capacity of 12,000. They had a successful start in the Nigerian football scene and, as mentioned previously, produced some top-class talents who went on to make their mark in the national team.

However, it was not all rosy. Bendel Insurance's history has been a constant trough and crest, rocked with financial and administrative crisis over the years. The club had its first month of the 2007/2008 season delayed because of a management dispute over who controlled the team. The crisis at one time resulted in the emergence of two different clubs, both of which laid claim to the name Insurance. They were relegated at the end of that season after finishing in last place, the first relegation from the top level in the team's history.

In August 2008, the ownership crisis was settled and the Edo State Government took control, officially reverting the name to Bendel Insurance Football Club. However, the insurers’ financial problems continued throughout the season and they were temporarily banned from using their stadium in February 2009 because it was not up to league standards. In March of the same year, they were one of eight teams threatened with having their participation suspended due to a backlog of debts and fines. They were exiled to Ilorin, North Central Nigeria, for their final home game of the season after crowd trouble in a 1-1 tie against Shooting Stars FC that put an end to their promotion chances.

The reason for Bendel Insurance's breakdown was because of this ownership situation. Despite these