Sports
Iyaya Condoles With Late Ogedengbe’s Family … NFF, NPL Too
Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Boma Iyaye has sympathised with the family of former national team goal keeper, Best Ogedegbe who died on Monday after an eye surgery.
This was contained in a statement signed by the press officer of the Ministry of Sports, Juliana Masi.
According to Iyaye, the death of former goalkeeper trainer of Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt was heartbreaking and he would be missed by all Nigerians, especially those in the sports industry in the country, particularly, Rivers State.
The commissioner prayed God to give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable lost.
He further urged them to be strong as the good legacies left by Ogedengbe would not be forgotten easily.
Until his death, Ogedegbe was in the employment of Dolphins FC, Port Harcourt as goalkeeper trainer.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation NFF and the Nigerian Premier League NPL have expressed deep shock and huge sense of grief at the death of former national goalkeeper Best Ogedegbe, last week.
Ogedegbe was reported to have died after an eye operation at the University College Hospital, Ibadan on Tuesday last week.
In a letter to the family of the departed goaltender, signed by NFF General Secretary Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, the Federation wrote: “The death of the affable Best Ogedegbe, who was number one goalkeeper for the national senior team, Green Eagles, when they won the African Cup of Nations for Nigeria for the first time in 1980, has once again robbed our country of a true hero who worked hard and painstakingly for the growth and good of Nigeria football.
“It is on record that late Ogedegbe conceded ONLY one goal in all of Nigeria’s five matches at the African Cup of Nations in 1980, helping in no small way to ensure that the Green Eagles lifted the trophy on home soil with aplomb. His excellent goalkeeping skills are still being lauded almost three decades after.
“Late Ogedegbe was also a pivot of the national U-23 team, as Goalkeeper Trainer, as the team qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in China and went to Beijing to dazzle the world, picking the silver medal in the process.
“Our consolation at this period is that the late Ogedegbe left his giant footprints in the sands of time. We pray that the Almighty God will grant his very gentle soul eternal rest, and also grant the family he has left behind as well as the Nigeria football fraternity the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Reacting to his death, the NPL Chairman Oyuki Jackson Obaseki,reflected on Ogedegbe’s commitment to his mother land and humility which handed him with many national laurels and concluded that his death has indeed closed another chapter of Nigeria national football heroes.
Heartland Technical Manager, Emmanuel Amuneke has praised his players for not losing focus at the crucial moment in Sunday’s 2-1 home win over Shooting Stars in a NPFL Matchday 24 fixture in Owerri.
The Naze Millionaires defeated the Oluyole Warriors through Chukwuma Agor and John Bassey goals in the 31st and 88th minutes with Mustapha Adam’s 80th minute spot kick a mere consolation for the visitors.
Amuneke while speaking to journalists shortly after the encounter, said his boys showed the zeal and determination to seal the three points and that despite the shenanigans of the centre referee, Kolawole Emmanuel, the boys were never troubled.l
“We were eager to get the three points and we were aware Shooting Stars are a good side and won’t allow us to have our way easily,” Amuneke told journalists in Owerri.
“We planned for them and almost throughout the entire game, they were never a threat to our team. We were able to control the game from the beginning. It was unfortunate how the game ended. We were just focussed on the three points and we are thrilled we got it. It was a very good game from both sides but we subjected them to constant pressure almost throughout the game.”
While he was asked if he believed his boys could finish the season impressively, Amuneke was evasive but noted that he and his players would continue to work harder.
“Everything in line is possible but we know that nothing happens without hard work. We will continue to work harder and continue to see how we can grow as a team. We have a lot of young players in the team. Some of them just got their topflight breakthrough.
“We didn’t lose focus at the time of the controversies. We continued to do the same thing we have been doing and taking the game to them.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, turned the sod of the new Olympic-standard 25,000-capacity Bayelsa Stadium project at Igbogene, Yenagoa, as part of the activities marking the fifth anniversary of the Senator Douye Diri administration.
The former Nigerian leader performed the ground-breaking ceremony as Governor Diri restated his appeal to the federal government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), oil firms operating in the state and the private sector to join hands with his administration to develop sporting talents.
The Federal Government through the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) equally thumped up Governor Diri for initiating the project.
Dr. Jonathan expressed delight over the project, saying as a Bayelsan, he was duty bound to celebrate with the state government for the progress so far achieved.
He lauded Diri’s developmental strides, urging him not to rest on his laurels and that the contractor and the state government should ensure the project met the highest standards.
Jonathan also called on the state and federal governments to set up a sports fund to cater for sportsmen after their active days and encourage younger ones to be involved in sports.
He said: “This is my state and I have to celebrate with the government for the progress so far made. This is an iconic project that will develop the state. Please do not rest on your laurels as we want this stadium to meet the best standards.
“I am happy with the presence of relevant federal government officials. I hope they will guide the state well and support where necessary.
“As a country, we must have a fund to care for sportsmen. The federal and state government can think about it so that the younger generation will be interested in sports.
“I am happy that you gave a target of 24 months and I hope that by that time I will escort President Tinubu to Bayelsa to inaugurate it.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has condoled the family of former Nigeria international midfielder, Ayo Ogunlana, who died in Kaduna on Friday after observing his early-morning walk.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, showered tributes on the departed midfield pearl, who was a star attraction during a number of important Nigeria FA Cup battles in the 1980s and held sway in the middle for the Super Eagles in the late 1980s, and at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Algeria.
“We are very sad to learn of the sudden passing of Ayo Ogunlana, only a couple of weeks after the demise of another former Eagle, Moses Effiong (a member of the 1980 AFCON-winning Green Eagles squad, in far-away USA). Ogunlana was a great midfielder who made playing football look so easy with his majestic touches and turns, and his magnificent free-kicks.
“We pray that the Almighty will grant both of them eternal rest and grant the families they have left behind the fortitude to bear the losses.”
Ogunlana was magisterial in the midfield as Nigeria overhauled Guinea and Zimbabwe to qualify for the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, and was imperial against Cameroon in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan that the Super Eagles won with an emphatic 2-0. He also played in the 1990 ECOWAS Cup competition that Nigeria hosted in Kaduna.