A relative of the late Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Shaibu Amodu, has said that the former Super Eagles coach died after complaining of pain in the left side of his chest.
Akuri Afegbua, who is a cousin to the late Shaibu, also said that the late coach died of frustration from the alleged non-payment of his financial entitlements by the NFF and the Edo State Government.
Amodu died on Saturday morning in his sleep at his residence in Benin, Edo State.
The 58-year-old father of eight from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state, was also said to be the Executive Director of the state youth football development agency before he resigned last year.
But Afegbua said that he had complained of not being paid by the football federation and the state government and how his financial status had made it difficult for him to take care of himself and his immediate family.
According to him, Amodu had travelled to Benin to demand the payment of his outstanding entitlements before he died.
He said tearfully, “I think he died of frustration, his financial status. He was not paid. He was complaining of not being paid and had no money to maintain himself and his immediate family.
“I think the purpose of him being in Benin was to put in a bill for his payment, both NFF and the state government.”
Afegbua explained that the late coach had a history of high blood pressure.
“We were together yesterday. In the afternoon, he called to say that he was feeling some pain in the left side of his chest and he called in a doctor.
“The doctor test him; he had 140 over 100 as his blood pressure. The doctor said that it was not bad, he could continue with his fasting,” he explained.
He also added that the ex-Eagles coach was full of life on Friday when he assisted one of his uncles to secure a bail at a police station.
He was also said to have led in the prayer to break the fast on Friday, before he was suddenly found dead at about 4am on Saturday.
“Apart from that he complained of pain in his chest, he was perfectly okay. We came back this morning to wake up to do the normal fasting but met him dead.
Afegbua said Amodu’s death had left a great vacuum that could never be filled.
