Essa Pius is a house hole name ,a renowned former Indomitable Lions defender who rose from civilian championship in the second to first division and International soccer.
His humble rise saw him play in the junior and senior categories of the Cameroon National Football Team.
Born on November 22,1972 in Kumba , Southwest Region of Cameroon,ESSA was a remarkable and formidable defender in the 90s.
He was an athletic,smart, and alert defence man with intelligent tackling techniques.
To those who watched him “He was great defensive footballer and tactician who knew how and where to position himself on the field to stop the ball from any attacker on the ground or in the air with great success”.
While as a student of CCC Kumba ,ESSA played for CAMMARK Kumba at local level, Victoria United,Provayance FC of Yde.
At 18 ,ESSA earned a spot in the Junior and Senior National team at same time.His calm demeanor, dedication and skills could not go unnoticed.
Coach Jean Pierre Sadi invited ESSA to the All Africa games in 1991 in Egypt.
At this tournament ESSA’s performance was outstanding as he was named “The Defender of the Tournament” with Cameroon clinching the championship without conceding a single goal.
This heroics opened wider doors as he was called to the Prestigious Indomitable Lions confirming that when you wash hands clean you can dine and wine with the elders.
At the senior national team Pius become team mates with legendary players like Roger Milla in the build up to the 1994, FIFA World Cup in the USA,making his mark.He participated in several high profile matches .
ESSA PIUS TABI ended his football career after he was controversially dropped from the list of players to take part in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
He is one of those few footballers who peacefully transitioned from football to a great life at a time when other ex footballers find it difficult to transit.
Today ESSA is a Multi Billion Business Man and Philanthropist.He is investing massively in football, health and the Maritime sector.
ESSA is a happily married man living in Buea with his family .The Legend is considered as one of the greatest Cameroonian players of Anglo-Saxon extraction.
His smooth transition from Football to Business is an inspirational story for another .
