Zenith Bank is the champion of football, Says MD Emeka Anyaegbuna

MD/CEO Zenith Bank, Emeka Anyaegbuna

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Gambia Ltd, Emeka Anyaegbuna, has said that Zenith Bank is the champion of football. 

Mr Anyaegbuna was speaking on Monday to Marketplace Business newspaper in an exclusive interview at his office on Kairaba Avenue following his bank’s excellent performance over their archrival Ecobank Gambia Ltd in the final of the 10^th edition of the Late Governor Famara Jatta’s Memorial football tournament organised by the Central Bank of The Gambia, played on Saturday at the Father Gough Sports Complex in Manjai-kunda.

The aim and objective for organizing the tournament is to foster understanding and cooperation among bankers out of their banking halls.

“I am particularly excited about the fact that we have clinched the Governor’s trophy for the first time in 2013,” Mr Anyaegbuna said.

“The candid truth is that we prepared for the tournament. I appreciate the players and the entire staff of Zenith Bank who cheered the players to success.” 

He continued: “I am very proud of my skillful players who are endowed with the technical expertise in football. Clearly, they exhibited first-class knowledge of football on the pitch with brilliant passes and an excellent goalkeeper. Moreover, we have fantastic football supporters, who clearly destabilised our opponents even at their point of entrance.

“I am very proud of my staff and players; we have shown that if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. We were well prepared and we have very good coaches who trained my players from the onset. We had several months of training and were determined to clinch the cup this year. 

Zenith Bank Squared with MD holding trophy

“I have the best staff in West Africa - we work together as a team that is why we are called the Zenith family.  If you look at our financial results last year, you will find out that we recorded significant increases in all indices of financial measurement, and that is exactly what we have replicated in this football tournament, to show that we are good in everything that we do,” Zenith Bank MD said.

He continued: “As MD/CEO, winning the trophy, to me, shows that we are not only the champions but the Kings of football. We have shown that with determination, preparation and fitness you can get to the top. Additionally, we put our trust in God Almighty. Since the inception of the bank, we put God first in all our sessions, meetings and gatherings. We say both Muslim and Christian prayers before and after every function.”

On whether the coaches’ efforts contributed significantly to the success of the bank in the tournament, he replies: “Of course, they exhibited technical and tactical expertise. Their efforts contributed significantly to the success of the team. If you trace the history of Seaview Football Club, they were able to move from the second division to the first division. It was at the start that we got them to become our technical advisers. The individual skillfulness of my talented players combined with the technical competence of the Coaches have made us the champions of the Central Bank of The Gambia 2013 football tournament. We are kings of football in The Gambia.” 

Zenith Bank Captain ML Badjie receiving trophy

In conclusion, he said: “I want to thank The Gambian population for coming out en masse to witness the history Zenith Bank has recorded in football. It is not deliberate for us to humiliate our opponents in football, but a grand plan to clinch the trophy and God made it so. When you look at the penalty shootout of the brilliant Zenith Bank penalty experts, for every shot from the Zenith Bank players, the opponents goalkeeper dived the opposite direction.’’

“I want to thank the CBG for bringing bankers together in this tournament, which also added light to banking in the country. I must tell you that this event has brought bankers together more as one. And this is of course why we are still celebrating with the players and bravo to all Gambians for showing interest in the tournament!”

During the encounter on Saturday, Zenith Bank opened the scores just five minutes after the start of the game courtesy of Lamin Darboe from a direct corner-kick to the goal, something he maintained in two crucial games for Zenith Bank that took them throughout the two ties. 

The first was against last year’s defending champions GTBank when he scored another direct corner-kick in the semi-final from where they later progressed to the final on a post-penalty shootout denying the champions to reach the final for the second time in a row.

CBG's deputy governor Oumie Sarvage Samba in-front

Four minutes after the quarter-hour mark of the game (in the 19th minute), Ecobank reacted with an equalizer through Pap Jassey, a goal that brought Ecobank back in the game. 

Both sides then created a few goal-scoring chances in the remaining first period, but all efforts went futile  as either side was unable to find the back of the net, ending the first half 1-1.

However, after the resumption of the second half, both sides came with the determination of doubling their scores to avoid the result to be decided by a penalty shootout. 

But Ecobank was dispossessed in the midfield by Zenith Bank after making few changes in the mid-second half, which paid dividend for the Zenith family and created numerous goal-scoring opportunities, but could not find the back of the net of Ecobank. 

Zenith Bank failed to double their lead in the late second half through their goal puncher Lamin Darboe when he kicked the ball out of hesitation to a close side netting after paving his way through the defence line of Ecobank when his teammate set him from a squared pass into the box.

 

Zenith Bank supporters at the pavilion

The head coach of Zenith Bank FC, Yahya Fatty, said: “This is my dream for the passed years as coach and today all my dreams have come true. I have to thank the entire management and staff of the bank for the trust and confidence they put in me and for my players for the hard work they put in during the tournament. The management supported me both morally and financially, because everything I needed was in place together with the cooperation my boys showed without which we would not have won this trophy.”

In his comments, the captain of the team, M.L Badjie, said: “It has been a long while that we were trying to win this glory. We have to give all the credits to our MD/CEO; he has been very supportive of the team throughout the tournament.

“He gave us all the support and courage; he covered all the expenses on his own and never wanted us to buy anything even as low as drinking water in our training grounds. I must say that we are very proud of the MD and the entire staff of the bank for their support and courage that has led us to this glory.”

Bankers at the event

ML Badjie said further: “I feel very grateful as a player and as a captain leading the team to achieving glory. To be honest last year was tough for us with GTBank, but this time around we understood that when we beat GTBank and two other teams we could win the trophy. 

“Whatever the case, I want to thank all those who supported us, especially our customers, because looking at the crowd of spectators, most of them are our customers; so I will thank them for their part well-done.”

At the end of the match, the winners, Zenith Bank, went home with a giant trophy and a cash of D20,000 whilst the runners-up Ecobank went home with a consolation prize of D15,000. 

The most disciplined team award sponsored by photo journalist Muhammed Manneh of Scorpion Express Photo and Video, a certificate and trophy, went to defending champions GTBank.

CBG 2nd deputy governor Oumie Savage Samba carried out the official kickoff of the match. 

SPECIAL REPORT: BY MUSA FATTY