By Kehinde Osagiede
As Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin prepare to host Vandrezzer FC of Lagos on Friday evening at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu has hinted that he was considering retiring from playing league football
Comrade Shaibu informed the management of Bendel Insurance FC that he was retiring from competitive play after featuring against Vandrezzer FC on Friday, the game is the last in the 2021/2022 Nigeria National League(NNL), as the curtains will be drawn on the abridged NNL before the super 4 tournament.
The sports loving Deputy Governor is expected to feature against Vandrezzer FC on Friday evening as the coaching crew has already listed him among players for the game.
Shaibu who has been instrumental to the progress of the Benin Arsenal since assumption of office as Deputy Governor of Edo State said his retirement from football does not mean he is abandoning the course of taking the enviable height as envisioned by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Shaibu inspired Insurance FC to gaining promotion from NNL to NPFL in 2018/2019 football season as chairman and player of the club. Though, the team went down the following season, the history making Shaibu who is the only known seating Deputy Governor in the world to play in his country’s football league,has again helped Insurance FC secured another promotion to NPFL this season. He has been a big moral boaster to his “team mates”.
Insurance FC has already secured promotion to NPFL with 46 points to lead group B1, nine points above second placed Gateway Utd before the last group games on Friday. So, this Friday match may be taken as a mere formality.
The top finishers in each of the four groups: A1,A2,B1 and B2 of the 2022 abridged NNL are the four clubs who automatically qualify for promotion to the NPFL before the overall winner of the League is decided in super 4 tournament in a later date.
