Insurance captain Felix Agbonifo scared Gabonese fans during an African Winners Cup game in Port Gentil. They quickly found a nickname for him: Medecin Natif (Native Doctor). When the team returned to Benin City, his team mates translated it to Bini. That was how the midfielder became ‘Okhue’.
Bendel Insurance were taking part in their first African Winners Cup in 1979. Their first round opponents were Petrosport, soccer team of Elf Oil Company based in Port Gentil. The first leg in Nigeria ended 1-0 in favour of the hosts. The Gabonese were satisfied with the result hoping to cancel the lone goal in the return leg.
It turned out worse. Insurance battered the home team 5-1. Local fans could not believe the outcome. They picked on Skipper Agbonifo. A look at his face convinced them that he had some magic stuff on him. Nkem Osu who covered the match for Radio Nigeria tells the story.
According to Osu : ” Petrosport supporters called Agbonifo ‘Native Doctor’ due to his demeanour such as entering the field of play in a backward movement. You know in Bini language, the word for native doctor is ‘Okhue’.Agbonifo thus bagged a new name.”
Insurance played like they were home. A team that had sharp shooters like Henry ‘ Teketeke’ Ogboe, Chris Ogu, Rufus Ejele and youthful Prince Oritsuwa Afejuku could stand the best in Africa. Ogu must have turned when he found out that Port Gentil was part of Province Ogooue.
That was not all. Insurance, from Bendel State of Nigeria played in Port Gentil in the Bendje Department of Province Ogooue. There are rubber plantations in the Gabonese town noted for haulage of timber and production of timber. It reminded the players of Rubber Board back home in Benin.
Insurance were in top shape in 1979. Their solid defence consisted of David Adiele, Kadiri ‘Kawawa’ Ikhana, Loatis Boateng, Francis Moniedafe, George Omokaro and goalkeeper Agwo Nnaji, also known as ‘ De Don- So Many Things’. Other experienced players included Peter Egharevba and Emmanuel ‘ Shakara’ Obasuyi.
Coach Alabi Aisien had a good laugh when his Captain suddenly became Okhue. That incident reminded him of the 1978 Challenge Cup final against Enugu Rangers in Lagos. One popular Native Doctor had convinced top members of the Bendel management that fielding Omokaro against the Flying Antelopes would spell doom.
Alabi Aisien who understood Rangers pattern of play so well would have none of that superstition. He asked the Okhue to go jump into Ikpoba River. Omokaro played a fantastic game and laid a pass to Ogboe to complete the demobilisation of the Coal City team. It ended 3-0.
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Alabi was coach of Vasco Da Gama Enugu. In 1973, Rangers were conquered by their city rivals. Adiele followed the coach to Insurance. Rangers dreaded Alabi and Vasco. When the tactician moved to Benin, the Flying Antelopes began a sustained poaching pattern that took players like Okey Emordi, Charles ‘Wagner’ Adimora, Ignatius Ilechukwu, Sam ‘ Achimota’ Onyeaka and much later, Patrick Ekeji, away.
After Petrosport, Insurance did not lose at away until they met Canon Sportif of Cameroon in the semi finals. In the second round, the Benin Arsenal defeated Ivorian side Gagnoa, home and away 1-0, 0-1. Sotema of Madagascar lost 2-0 in Antananarivo in the quarter finals. Then real drama followed.
In the Lagos second leg, Sotema stunned their hosts 2-0 and the match had to be decided by penalty kicks. What happened was that assistant coach Cyril Okosieme decided to introduce Victor Omoregie in place of Agwo Nnaji.
Nkem Osu comes in to tell the story: ” Cyril Okosieme was in charge because Alabi Aisien, the substantive coach was in Yaounde to watch the second leg match between Canon and AS Vita of Congo. Alabi was confident that having beaten Sotema 2-0 in Antananarivo, it was better to go see how Canon Sportif functioned.
“Victor Omoregie was in goal goal against Sotema in Lagos where he conceded two goals in 65 minutes. Alex Agwo Nnaji was introduced and in the ensuing penalty shoot-out, he saved two kicks to give his team 5-3 advantage. Infact, Sotema dreaded Agwo due to his excellent outing in the first leg.”
Canon had lost to Enugu Rangers in the finals of the 1977 Winners Cup and were eager to win the competition for the first time. However, they had an intimidating background. They had won the African Cup for Champions Cup ( now CAF Champions League) in 1978.
To win in 1978, the Cameroonians beat Hafia of Guinea in the finals. That was a bold statement for Hafia had won the trophy thrice, 1972, 1975, 1977 and played in all finals of the Champions Cup from 1975 to 1978.
Alabi was sure he could gain a handful by watching Canon, continental champions in 1971 against Vita, 1973 Champions. The African Winners Cup was only introduced in 1975. First cup holders were Tonnerre Kalara of Cameroon. Shooting Stars of Nigeria dethroned them in 1976. Enugu Rangers became Champions in 1977.
Insurance engaged Canon in the semi finals of the 1979 African Winners Cup. That was the Canon Kpakum of Captain Theophile ‘The Doctor’ Abega and Jean Manga Onguene. Canon got the maximum points with a slim 1-0 edge in Yaounde. Insurance did not do better than a barren draw in the return leg.
Agbonifo was unable to get a place in the national team. He died much later of cardiac arrest and today, a street is named after him in Benin City. Agbonifo was the second Insurance captain to lift the FA Cup. The first was Victor Odua, in 1972 when team name was Vipers. They won again in 1980. Two League trophies, 1973, 1979 came their way.
Insurance are the only Nigerian club to win an international trophy three times consecutively. Lawrence Akpokona led them to WAFU Cup triumph in 1993, 1994 and 1995. They capped it all with the CAF Cup in 1994.
