A bold new chapter has begun for Bendel Insurance Football Club as Emperor Jarret Tenebe was officially unveiled as the club’s new Chairman, with sweeping ambitions to transform the historic side into a financially self-sustaining and globally competitive brand.
The high-profile unveiling took place on Friday at the Media Centre of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, with notable dignitaries in attendance, including the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Osamwonyi Atu, and APC State Secretary, Hon. Lawrence Okah. The event signaled more than a change in leadership—it heralded a new vision for the future of one of Nigeria’s most iconic football clubs.
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Edo State Sports Commission Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, who presented Tenebe to the public, described him as a perfect fit for the job.
“Tenebe is a round peg in a round hole. We are confident that with him in charge, Bendel Insurance will soar to new heights and even dominate African football,” Enabulele said in a statement issued by his media aide, Edoko Wilson Edoko.
Tenebe, in his maiden address, outlined his revolutionary plans to make Bendel Insurance financially independent, revealing that he intends to take the club to the Capital Market—a rare move in Nigerian football.
“Football is big business. We believe state governments should not be directly funding clubs. With the right strategy, football is more profitable than oil,” Tenebe said. “We want to list Bendel Insurance on the Capital Market and make it a club capable of buying international players and competing at the highest level.”
Veteran coach and club legend, Alabi Aisien, also graced the event, offering a historical perspective on the club’s illustrious past and backing Tenebe to restore its former glory. He recalled the 1973 Challenge Cup triumph just four years after the club’s founding by General Samuel Ogbemudia.
Former Chairman and ex-Edo Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, now the Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), was praised for his contributions to the club’s recent stability and growth.
The event concluded with a symbolic facility tour of the stadium complex, led by Enabulele, who showed the new chairman key areas including the dressing rooms, signaling the start of Tenebe’s hands-on engagement.
As stakeholders rally behind the new leadership, all eyes will be on Emperor Jarret Tenebe to see if his business-first approach can usher Bendel Insurance FC into a new golden age—on and off the pitch.
