Nigerians have again been thrown into mourning with the death early on Saturday of former Super Eagles coach, Shuaibu Amodu.
Amodu, who was the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, reportedly died during a brief illness in Benin, Edo State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Another former Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, died on Wednesday in Benin City.
Amodu qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in 2002 and 2010 but was sacked before the commencement of both tournaments in Korea/Japan and South Africa respectively.
He coached the defunct BCC Lions to win the 1989 FA Cup and led the club to win the now rested Africa Cup Winners the following year.
Reacting to the NFF technical director’s death, ex-Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami, said Keshi and Amodu’s deaths in quick succession was shocking and had negative implications.
“It is sad to be hearing the news of things happening in this manner, I think something really needs to be done, and something we need to know.
“I think the people put in charge of sports don’t know anything about it. They don’t understand the pressure under which the real sportsmen work.
“The players and coaches are dying slowly by the nature of their profession, but those at the helm of administration do not seem to know.
“We have so many of them on their sick bed with no help going to them,’’ he told NAN in Lagos on Saturday.
Odegbami urged the Federal Government to do something urgently about the welfare of sportsmen.
Adegboye Onigbinde, who had also coached the senior national team, said: “I’m confused and sad. These are young active men dying in their primes, it’s so sad.
“I’m frustrated that we are mourning again just few days after the death of Coach Stephen Keshi.”
The Secretary, Nigeria Football Supporters’ Club (NFSC), Samuel Ikpea, told NAN that Amodu’s death was another tragedy for the football family and Nigerians in general.
“This is unpleasant news this morning, a big tragedy to the football sector and the nation in general. It is really painful.
“We have yet to get over Keshi’s death and only to wake up to get another sorrowful news about Amodu, I can’t understand what is happening.
“I think the sad news is becoming alarming and calls for fervent prayers because we cannot continue to lose our football icons just like that,’’ he said.
