Pius Essa: Transition From Pro. Footballer to business mogul explained
A smooth transition from football to life after football was, and is still, a huge problem for professional footballers globally, especially in the African continent.
The world has evolved with the coming of the ‘computer age’, but Pius Essa Tabi, is one of the very few players who played for the Indomitable Lions in the 90s, and is now basking in glory.
For starters, the 6 foot 1 defender, who was born on November 22, 1972 in Kumba, was the complete defender.
A summary of his play style reads; a defender who was always calm under pressure, had great communication skills, and technically proficient with the ball at his feet.
Pro Football Career
Now a delegate at the FECAFOOT bureau, the world was at Essa Pius’ feet at the start of the 90s. He was soo good, he played for the junior and senior categories simultaneously.
Essa Pius joined the team upon arrival from Cameroon’s biggest world cup scalp till date (World Cup 1990 quarter-final). The next assignment was the UDIAC tournament in Congo.
Aged 18 at the time, Essa Pius was selected for the tournament, whilst still playing for the junior set ups.
One year later, when coach Jean Pierre Sadi came in, the qualities of Essa Pius were unerring to leave behind, and so he was called up for the All African games in Egypt.
At the games, Cameroon ended second in group B behind Tunisia, before eventually defeating Tunisia one-nil at the semis, and clinching gold against a star-studded Nigerian side, made up of: Babangida, Amunike and co, courtesy a Bekombo strike at the 70th minute.
A masterpiece had just been delivered. The new gem was Esa Pius, who won the defender of the tournament, having led Cameroon in and out of the competition without his team conceding.
After a classy display way above his age, Pius fully integrated the team. The youngster began travelling often. In preparations for the 1994 FIFA world cup, Essa Pius lined up some top games alongside Roger Milla and others in the year 1993.
One of the friendly games played at the Omnisport stadium was against Egypt where the teenager saw red after a hard tackle on Egyptian forward, Hassan Hassan.
The game against Zimbabwe followed, but Essa Pius was reserved as he did not make the team of the day, but was with the squad in what was the final game in camp.
At the time, Pius blended football and studies, what will bail him out in the latter part of his career. He read law at the University of Yaounde II, while working and playing for Prevoyance Football Club.
When the final list for the World Cup was made known, Essa Pius was conspicuously absent. It was unbelievable even to him. In his own words, he said: ” I thought it was a mistake at first glance. I drove to the federation, and luckily enough, I saw coach Manga Onguene. When I asked him what happened, he told me that I simply did not receive a call up,” Essa told Egypt’s On Time Sports.
The team proceeded to the US and Essa Pius took over the captain’s armband at Prevoyance FC in the absence of Alioum Boukar, who was with the indomitable Lions.
A life changing incident occurred after the team had travelled, which changed Essa Pius’ life.
“I went to play in Kumba (my home town) and I was gaslighted by some fans who told me my friends were in America and I stuck around to play local football in Kumba.
“After that scenario, I set my jersey and cleats ablaze. I did not want to hear anything Football at that point,” the former Continental FA president told On Time Sports.
The Transition
Before all the brouhaha, Essa Pius had made a trip to the US for an international friendly in 1993. During self introduction, he caught attention when he mentioned that he was a law student, blending it with football and work at Prevoyance.
An onlooker named Raymond gave Pius his card as they later exchanged pleasantries.
“After making the decision to quit football, I moved from Yaounde to Tiko, where I had a friend who worked at CDC, and had a cell phone, which was not very common then, to help me place the call.
“When Raymond answered, he asked if the team had not left for the US. I told him I did not make the squad. The gentleman then proposed that I could travel to the US and play for his school.” Pius added.
Apparently, Raymond asked Pius to come over with a friend, and he chosed Tambe Manfred.
Upon arrival in the US, in 94, professional football had not began – but it later did in 1996. Esa Pius took the decision to concentrate on his studies. “I decided to concentrate on my studies since football failed me”.
However, there was a switch from law to sciences. The next time Mr. Pius returned since he left the country was 11 years after, in 2005.
Return and settlement of Esa Pius in Cameroon
“I came back in 2005 – and a friend from Germany took me to her house in Buea road Kumba, which impressed me”.
Essa Pius admits just from seeing his friend’s place, he told himself that it will be important for him to do something back home. “When I went back to the US in 2006, I started a football tournament Known as the “Essa Pius champions league in Kumba”.
Essa Pius went on to open an orphanage in Kumba. The football tourney ran for 6 years, and the orphanage, for 10 solid years.
Essa Pius, the business man
In 2004, the transition was complete for the former Lions defender: “in the US, I had my first company in 2004, which was an environmental company. In 2006, I moved from Maryland. It was saturated and we really could not save, courtesy endless events every weekends.
“I left Maryland for Colombus Ohio, which had lesser Cameroonians. I started my first health care agency called Homeland Health Services in 2006, employed lots of people, and my business was successful.
“After the company in Columbus Ohio, I opened another in Detroit Michigan. In Detroit, my company was named Homeland Home/Health Services.
“I then moved to Pennsylvania where I opened Homeland, Home Care services. I basically had four companies in the US.”
When Essa Pius began realizing good profit, he ventured into Cameroon and decided to continue with health services.
It was on the trail of giving back to the community, which made Mr. Pius buy a land and open a hospital in Buea, with its annex in Douala.
With a heavy portfolio in football and business, Essa Pius Tabi opines that success came due to his willingness to further his studies while playing.
“In the past, ‘players of the older generation’ (editor’s pick) had some challenges.
We did not embark on our educational careers.
“Today, it is playing a negative. For instance, i am an Exco member at FECAFOOT, Synafoc and ANFC VP.
“From these posts of responsibility, you can see that we’re not many – who played and are still into football. That could be why I’m having three positions at a blow. If we were many, I probably would not have gotten numerous positions”.
Work as a FECAFOOT executive member under Samuel Eto’o
Global football icon Samuel Eto’o took over the reigns of FECAFOOT presidency in December 2021.
Essa Pius however joined in as an executive member two months ago, and has some positive remarks about life as a decision maker, in the Eto’o – led FECAFOOT bureau.
“It’s been two months as an executive committee member, and I’ve had just one session. However, I’ve seen a big change. In our days, the crowd was always there. When I started visiting the country after some time, the stadium stands were empty. But with the present president of FECAFOOT, I can see the efforts he is putting in. He came at a point that I wanted to leave football. But his efforts have made me to have a rethink.
“The most recent game I watched in Douala, pitting Cameroon against Mauritius Island, had the field jam-packed.
“He is doing extremely well but nobody is perfect. I pray he gets surrounded by good people. Because, you could have a positive vision and people around get you distracted.
“From facts and what he is doing, all we should tell this guy is Thank You!”
Esa Pius continues his full-time job as a maritime, and as someone who has succeeded with life after football, he urges new generation footballers to further their studies.
