Former Nigeria national football team coach Adegboye Onigbinde has died at the age of 88.
His family announced his passing on Monday in a statement signed by Bolade Adesuyi, saying the respected football tactician and community leader died a few minutes earlier.
“With great gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of this great man: a Modakeke High Chief, the first indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach, father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend – High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde,” the statement read.
The family expressed gratitude for his life and contributions to Nigerian football.
“We thank God for the fulfilled life you lived and your contributions to the Nigerian nation and the world as an unequalled football coach,” the statement added.
“We pray that your soul will rest peacefully in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good night till we meet to part no more.”
Nicknamed “Modakeke-born Sweat Merchant” by Nigerian sports journalists, Onigbinde was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s respected football figures and spent decades working in the development of the sport.
He coached the national team between 1982 and 1984 and led Nigeria to the final of the 1984 African Cup of Nations where the team lost 1-3 to Cameroon.
Later in 1984, he became coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club and guided the club to the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs, where they lost to Zamalek SC.
He returned to lead Nigeria again in 2002 to the World Cup co-hosted by Japan and Korea after the dismissal of the coaching crew led by Shuaibu Amodu following the team’s performance at the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations.
The team lost 0-1 to Argentina after a goal by Gabriel Batistuta, lost 1-2 to Sweden after leading 1 0, and drew 0-0 with England.
He also served as a technical instructor for CAF and FIFA.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Onigbinde explained the origin of his name.
According to him, “I dropped my baptismal name ‘Festus’ in 1960 through Nigeria’s Daily Times newspaper and have been answering Adegboye Onigbinde… I discovered Festus didn’t mean anything, so I changed to ‘Adegboye’, meaning ‘a child born to reclaim a chieftaincy title’.”
The family said funeral arrangements will be announced later.
