Departed Super Eagles Coach, Amodu Shuaibu, Laid To Rest

Former Super Eagles coach, Shuaibu Amodu, was laid to rest amidst crying and wailing by his family members and friends yesterday evening.

According to a THISDAY report, the remains of the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director was committed to Mother Earth at his residence in Okpella, Etsako East local government area of Edo state.

Amodu, who coached the Nigerian senior football team –the Super Eagles – on four different occasions, passed away early Saturday morning in his sleep in Benin City, Edo State, after complaining of chest problems.

Between the arrival of the body and the interment, which lasted about five hours, family members, neighbours, journalists and residents of Okpella gathered in the late Amodu’s compound discussing his passage just four days after that of Keshi. Some family members and neighbours could not hold their emotions as they cried and wailed uncontrollably.

At about 4pm, mother of the late Amodu, who had earlier been taken to the palace of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, Alhaji A.Y.E. Dirisu, came back to the compound after she had been informed of her son’s death.

A cousin of the deceased who is also the Commissioner for Information in Edo State, Kazeem Afegbua, said Amodu died in his sleep at about 4am yesterday morning. He said Amodu, who led prayers before the family went to bed the night before, only complained of chest pain.

Afegbua said a doctor was called to the house to check Amodu. “He was checked and certified okay and they all went to bed. He was actually a BP patient and his BP last night when the doctor checked was 140/100. The doctor only warned him to stop fasting.

“After the prayers, he went to bed but asked that he be woken at 4am to prepare for the fast. It was around four they tried to wake him to prepare for the Muslim fasting. That was all. He didn’t wake up,” Afegbua said.

Members of the Nigerian football family including the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mohammed Sanusi; chairman of the Edo Football Association, Frank Ilaboya; Robinson Okosun and other football and sports enthusiasts gathered at the late Amodu’s residence to pay their last respect.

Top officials of the Edo State government such as the late Amodu’s cousin and Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua; Commissioner for Environment, Clem Agba, and other notable personalities from Afemai, also attended the burial.

Hundreds of residents of Okpella were not left out as they trooped out to honour one of their foremost sons. The late soccer tactician was survived by his late wife, Kuburat; seven children, mother, brother and sisters.