Nigeria’s Football Community Mourns Late Coach Mfon Bassey
By Akeem Busari
Death, they say is inevitable and its cold hand snatched away the legendary player and coach Mfon Bassey, on the 2nd November 2025.
And this painful shot happened at a time, the die-hard supporters of Bendel Insurance FC of Benin were contemplating how their team is going to swim out of relegation waters.
Bassey was loved and respected by the supporters of the Benin Arsenal for his calmness in front of goal. He made scoring goals for Bendel Insurance easy peasy. Until his death, Bassey, who was in his 50s, was a football coach with the Edo State Sports Commission and had battled with health issues months preceding his death.
Mfon Bassey was born in Ibadan to late Pa Jonah Mfon and late Mrs Paulina Mfon, from Ewang Village, Oron district in Akwa Ibom State. He was the second son of his parents. Bassey attended St Williams Primary School Ibadan and Ibadan Grammar School Molete, Ibadan where he started playing football. He further horned his football skills by playing for different youth teams (Greater Tomorrow and Liberty Boys) in Ibadan.
His first paid football job was with Ogun/Osun River Basin Authority Football club. In 1989, the scouting team of Bendel Insurance FC spotted the talent of Mfon Bassey, in a pre-season friendly match. He was invited to Benin City for trials and what IICC Shooting Stars officials could not see under their noses, it took Alabi Aisien and his coaching crew, a few bounce games to identify Bassey as a missing clog in their attacking wheel. Bassey was immediately signed and he seamlessly fitted into the attack of Bendel Insurance FC, where he shared the goal scoring responsibility with Roland Ewere.
Bassey was remarkably comfortable with the ball on both feet, as he was also good with his head. He was not a burly striker who bullied defenders, he had a good football brain that ensured he was well positioned to take advantage of crosses and through balls. In some matches after putting a hard shift upfront, his coaches usually deployed him as a false 10, which enabled him to link the midfield with the attack.
Mfon Bassey easily adopted to life in Benin City, where he played for Bendel Insurance FC for seven football seasons. Even when other better financed football clubs were made overtures to him, he remained committed to the cause of the Benin Arsenal. In 1993, Bassey’s knack for scoring goals brought him to national prominence when he came runners up both in the league with Bendel Insurance FC to Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Owerri, as well as, to Tony Nwaigwe of the same club, in the race for the 1993 Nigeria League highest goal scorer award.
He was part of the Bendel Insurance team that won the WAFU Cup that same year.
In 1994, Bassey spearheaded the attack of the Benin Arsenal and his goals were invaluable as Bendel Insurance FC won the CAF Cup (a competition that was then played by league runners-up in Africa) after beating Premiero De Miao of Luanda (Angola) in the final 3-1 on aggregate.
Bassey scored the third goal in the second leg match at the Ogbe Stadium. This is the Benin Arsenal only continental trophy till date. Bendel Insurance also retained the WAFU Cup that year after beating Plateau United of Jos.
In 1995, Bassey left Bendel Insurance FC for Nigerdock FC of Lagos. He played for them for a couple of seasons. He tried his luck by attending football trials in Belgium and Qatar, but his effort in plying his trade outside Nigeria was not successful.
At the peak of his career, Bassey was invited to the camp of the home-based Super Eagles in 1994, but he was not fortunate to be capped by the star-studded Nigerian national football team.
In the twilight of his football career, Bassey played for Esan United and he later moved into coaching where he attended the NIS Lagos course for football coaches in 2016.He also obtained an NCE in Physical and Health Education from the College of physical Education Afuze in Edo State. Bassey has coached many football teams including Green Force and Yak United. Before becoming a qualified football coach, he was a keen dart players and coach. He represented his adopted Edo State in dart competitions at National Sports Festivals where he also won gold medals for the state.
Until his recent death, Bassey, was married to Mrs Joy Ehigiamusoe Mfon. He leaves behind two daughters, Imabong and Enobong, as well as a son, Duke Mfon.
Bassey’s goal scoring exploits will remain evergreen in the minds of thousand of fans of Bendel Insurance Football Club. He will be buried on 14th November 2025, at his residence in Benin City.
