Bendel Insurance F.C.

Bendel Insurance Football Club, also known as Insurance of Benin Football Club or simply Bendel Insurance, is a soccer club based in Benin City, Nigeria. They were originally known as the Vipers of Benin. Their venue is Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, which has a capacity of 20,000.[4]

Bendel Insurance FC
Full nameBendel Insurance Football Club
Nickname(s)Vipers, The Benin Arsenal
Founded1972
GroundSamuel Ogbemudia Stadium
Benin City, Nigeria
Capacity12,000
ChairmanJulius Ihonvbere[1]
ManagerMonday Odigie[2]
LeagueNigerian Professional Football League [3]

The club is owned by the Edo State government.[5]

History

Created by Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, Bendel Insurance was one of the founding members of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972.[6]

The team had its first month of the 2007–08 season delayed because of a management dispute over who controlled the team.[7][8] The crisis led to at one time two different clubs claiming the name Insurance. They were relegated at the end of the 2007–08 season after finishing in last place, the first relegation from the top level in team history.

In August 2008, the ownership crisis was settled and the Edo State government took control. Thus the name officially reverted to Bendel Insurance Football Club.

However the financial problems continued throughout the season. In February 2009 Insurance was banned from using their stadium temporarily because it was not up to league standards. In March, they were one of eight teams threatened with having their participation suspended due to a backlog of debts and fines.[9] Finally, they were exiled to Ilorin 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 to Bendel Insurance's breakdown was because of the ownership situations.[10]

Bendel Insurance were promoted back to the top flight for the 2019 season after spending over ten years in lower divisions.[6]

Achievements
  • Nigeria Premier League: 2
1973, 1979
  • Nigerian FA Cup: 3
1972, 1978, 1980
1994
  • West African Club Championship (UFOA Cup): 3
1993, 1994, 1995

Performance in CAF competitions
  • African Cup of Champions Clubs: 2 appearances
1974: Second Round
1980: Semi-Finals
2005 – Second Round
1994 – Champion
  • CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 2 appearances
1979 – Semi-Finals
1982 – Second Round

Current team

As of 30 January 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2  NGA Stephen Sodje
4  NGA Emmanuel Uangboje
6  NGA Maurice Prince
8  NGA Meyiwa Oritseweyam
9  NGA Junior Osaghae
10  NGA Omokaro Charles
12 GK  NGA Amas Obasogie
13  NGA Abraham Odianosen
14  NGA Abraham Ovwiomodiohwo
15  NGA Martins Obinna Ohia
16  NGA Odinaka Ezeh
No. Pos. Nation Player
17  NGA Michael Enaruna
19  NGA Okorie Arinze
20  NGA Kingsley Onovo
23  NGA Walbe David
24 GK  NGA Abiodun Owolabi
26  NGA Ebiaku Promise
27  NGA Michael Ugwu
28  NGA Tanimu Benjamin
30  NGA Daniel Johnson
31  NGA Kalu Moses
32  NGA Adimorama Ezeh
33  NGA Abu Chukwunonso

Notable players

References
  1. "Edo State To Rebrand Bendel Insurance Football Club • Channels Television".
  2. https://newtelegraphonline.com/2017/12/edo-unveils-new-technical-crew-insurance/
  3. "Bendel Insurance, three other teams promoted to Nigeria pro football league – Premium Times Nigeria". 9 January 2019.
  4. "Stadiums in Nigeria". World Stadiums. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
  5. "Nigeria's Edo State to pay women and men teams equally". 19 November 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. Odegbami, Olusegun (18 January 2019). "The Return of 'Bede' Insurance!". Vanguard Nigeria.
  7. "Insurance FC crisis started since 1995". NIGERIAN TRIBUNE. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  8. "Osunbor summons Ebewele, Ekhosuehi – Insurance crisis latest". NIGERIAN TRIBUNE. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  9. "Compass News – Awaken To A Different World". Compass News – Awaken To A Different World. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  10. "Bendel Insurance F.C." Nigeria Professional Football League. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
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