- Agency Report
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the death of former Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, as painful and devastating, commiserating with the football community over the loss.
This is contained in a condolence message issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Tuesday in Osogbo.
Adeleke conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Onigbinde’s family, the traditional ruler of Modakeke, Joseph Toriola, and Nigerians as a whole.
The governor urged everyone touched by Onigbinde’s death to honour his memory by sustaining his legacy of impacting lives.
Adeleke noted the exceptional contributions of the late tactician, particularly to the growth and development of football in Nigeria and across Africa.
He said the death of the Super Eagles manager at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea had deprived Nigeria of the service of a resourceful football administrator.
“It is with a heart filled with pain that I offer my condolences to Oba Toriola and the people of Modakeke over the passing of one of their illustrious sons, High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde.
“While he was alive, Onigbinde dedicated himself to shaping futures, using his knowledge of football to groom talents into stars in the game,” he said.
Adeleke said the loss would leave a huge void, not only in Nigerian football but also in his hometown, where his contributions over the years had uplifted dreams and positively influenced the socio-economic direction of the people.
He added that Onigbinde’s contributions to Nigeria’s football development would remain in the nation’s memory for generations.
The governor prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and urged the family to take solace in the memories of his remarkable life of impact and the enduring legacy he left behind.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the death of Onigbinde was announced by his family on Monday.
He died at the age of 88 in his hometown of Modakeke, Osun. NAN