IMMEMORIAL
From Adams to Zagallo, the A to Z of sports personalities lost in 2024
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
In a few moments, the year 2024 will have rolled off. Welcome 2025! Yet the outgoing year saw the end of some notable personalities in the world, especially in Nigeria.
Those key figures left lasting impacts on their sports. Here are sports legends and trailblazers the world lost in 2024.
January 3: The first Nigerian to lead a team to win global football glory, Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen, died aged 86. He led the Golden Eaglets to the milestone win of the inaugural U16 World Cup in China.
The late coach was one of the players who represented the Nigerian football team at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968 and famously scored from a free kick to win the then Challenge Cup for Bendel Insurance in 1972.
As a coach, he was the head of a three-man crew that included Bala Shamaki and Christian Chukwu when the Nigerian team shocked the world in China in 1985.
He led the team again in 1987 to Canada and got to the final before losing through a penalty shoot-out to the then-Soviet Union.
On the third attempt in the competition, his team lost to Saudi Arabia by penalty kick in the quarterfinals.
At another time, he was the assistant to Clemens Westerhof in the Super Eagles.
He began his football career in 1956 when as a student, he featured for the Onitsha team in the Challenge Cup.
In 1962, he joined the then ECN and was part of the Challenge Cup-winning side of 1965. He was invited to the national team in 1962 but only became a regular in the build-up to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.
He was noted for his curving shots, especially from free-kick situations.
Popularly called ‘Sabara’, his biggest moment as a club player was when he scored the winning goal in the 3-2 victory for Bendel Insurance in the replay of the 1972 Challenge Cup with Mighty Jets of Jos at the Liberty Stadium – the first time the national cup final was held outside Lagos.
He later became a coach and handled the Midwest junior side to win the gold medal at the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1973.
January 5: Brazil’s Mário Zagallo who held the record for World Cup titles in general with four titles in total and the record for World Cup finals with six participations died, aged 92. He featured for Brazil in 1958, and 1962 and was also the manager at the 1970 edition.
Mario Zagallo, Brazil’s four-time World Cup winner
January 7: Global football icon, Franz Beckenbauer died, aged 78. He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easy-going charm.
Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup both as a player and coach for Germany
February 7: Renowned Nigerian sports journalist, archivist, and analyst Kayode Tijani passed on. He reportedly died this Wednesday evening at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) after a protracted illness. He had been ill since returning from the Egypt 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
February 7: Former Super Falcons; coach, Godwin Izilein, who led the team to victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2004 died in Benin City, aged 81.
He was reported to be battling with “battling abdominal issues.”
February 11: Kenya’s marathon world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum died aged 34. He exploded onto the marathon scene in October 2023 when he ran a scintillating two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago, taking 34 seconds off fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s previous world record.
The death of the 24-year-old, who was driving in western Kenya in February when his car rolled over, left the athletics world in shock. Kiptum was expected to be one of the track superstars of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
April 10: A former American Hall of Fame NFL football star and actor turned celebrity murder defendant, O.J. Simpson died at 76. Nicknamed “The Juice”, Simpson was one of the best and most popular American athletes of the late 1960s and 70s.
May 5: Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach of 1978, César Luis Menotti, died from anaemia. He was aged 85. He led Argentina to the first of their three World Cup titles.
July 16: A pall of darkness again fell on Nigeria’s sports sector as a sports administrator, Ekene Adams, passed on. He aged 39. He was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports. Before that, he was the General Manager of the Nigerian Premier League side, Remo Stars before going into politics and winning a seat in the Federal House of Representatives representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.
A former football player, Adams served as the general manager of Remo Stars as well as Kada City before he won a seat in the House of Representatives during the 2023 general elections. His sports background earned him the role of the reps committee chairman on sports despite being a first timer in the green chamber.
July 25: Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who in 1984 acquired state-owned Spartans FC Owerri and renamed it Iwuanyanwu Nationale died aged 81. The club has since 2006 reverted to the Imo State Government and renamed Heartland FC.
July 27: The owner of the now defunct FC IfeanyiUbah, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, an oil mogul died aged 53. He was a federal lawmaker representing Anambra South Senatorial District.
The lawmaker died in a London hospital. He acquired the former Gabros Club and renamed it after himself as FC IfeanyiUbah. He was elected Senator in 2019 on the platform of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, and re-elected on that platform in 2023.
August 8: Former CAF president Issa Hayatou died 160 days after initial reports and a day before his 78th birthday. Sports Village Square reported that his death was initially rumoured 160 days ago on 1 March.
The Cameroonian was a long-serving president of CAF for 29 years from 1988 until his surprise ouster in 2017.
He also served as acting FIFA president from 2015 to 2016 after Sepp Blatter was suspended by world football’s governing body.
Hayatou, whose brother was the prime minister of Cameroon, was a lifelong sports administrator. He was an International Olympic Committee member from 2001-2016, after which he became an honorary member.
August 26: Nigeria’s first Olympic Games medallist, Nojim Maiyegun, died in Austria.Known to be virtually impaired for years, he has reportedly been in and out of hospital in the previous six months before his death. Maiyegun’s death came just a few days after the 60th anniversary of his feat when he won a bronze medal in boxing on 10 August 1964 at the Olympics in Tokyo.
He shared the bronze medal with Józef Grzesiak of Poland in the Light middleweight category. At the Olympics, the two losers in the semifinals are traditionally awarded the bronze medal, as there is no third-place bout. It was the first time since Helsinki 1952 that Nigeria won a medal. He thus ended Nigeria’s 12-year winless streak at the Olympics.
August 26: The long battle against terminal pancreatic cancer finally came to an end for former England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson who passed away aged 76.
The popular Swede who was in line to manage Nigeria’s Super Eagles to the 2010 World Cup before he was upstaged by compatriot,Lars Lagerbäck passed away following a successful career in the football industry which included stints with England, Manchester City and Leicester City.
Earlier this year, he announced his imminent death, saying that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had a year to live in a “best-case scenario”.
The announcement was January this year and eight months down the line, he was no more. His football career spanned eight different countries.
He was in charge of England for 67 matches including the World Cup tie with Nigeria which ended goalless in 2002.
August 31: Ivorian soccer centre-back, Sol Bamba, (46 caps; Hibernian, Leicester City, Leeds United, Cardiff City), died from cancer at 39
September 5: Ugandan Olympic marathon runner, Rebeccaa Cheptegei, 33, died of her injuries after being set alight by her boyfriend.
October 6: The Fastest World Cup final match scorer, Johan Neeskens died, aged 73. He achieved the goal feat in the 1974 final match when he converted a penalty kick for The Netherlands against West Germany after 90 seconds of kick-off.
At the time, no West German player had even touched the ball! Neeskens was a midfielder and was considered one of the best of his generation.
October 13: The life-saving efforts for former Nigerian international goalkeeper, Peter Fregene, ended this day. He was aged 77, when he died surrounded by his wife and two of his children.
Fregene, was a member of the Nigerian team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.
He last played for Nigeria on 13 March 1982 when Nigeria lost 3-0 to Zambia in a Group B AFCON match in Benghazi.
For years, he had been battling with illness and spent the last week on life-support.
November 20: Nigerian sports journalist, Dapo Sotuminu a celebrated Nigerian sports journalist whose illustrious career spanned several decades died after a brief illness, leaving behind a profound legacy.
His contributions were deeply mourned by the Lagos State Government, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Family United by Sports and the Lagos State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), who recognized his instrumental role in the growth and promotion of sports journalism and development in Nigeria.
His life was marked by resilience, passion, and a commitment to excellence, making him a beacon of inspiration for the next generation of sports journalists. His impact will remain indelible in the annals of Nigerian sports journalism.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
As Nigeria marks the 27th anniversary of the death of Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the sports community joins in solemn remembrance of the man widely regarded as the greatest patron of Nigerian sports.
Though best known as the winner of Nigeria’s annulled 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola was a towering figure in Nigerian and African sports — a passionate enthusiast, financier, and philanthropist whose contributions laid the foundation for some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements.
From football to boxing and athletics, Abiola’s impact was both vast and profound. His club, Abiola Babes Football Club, based in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was a household name in Nigerian football during the 1980s, winning the FA Cup twice (1985 and 1987) and producing some of the finest football talents the country has seen.
Beyond club ownership, Abiola was a strong advocate of sports journalism and media development.
He invested heavily in sports coverage through Concord Press, making it the first Nigerian media organisation to consistently give sports stories front-page prominence and dedicate magazine covers to sporting heroes.
“He wasn’t just a politician or businessman. MKO was the biggest friend sports ever had in Nigeria,” said a former Nigerian international, Dominic Iofar, who played for Abiola Babes. “He took care of us like we were his own children. He believed in sports as a unifying force.”
In the early 1990s, Abiola sponsored major boxing bouts in Nigeria and played a key role in the re-emergence of local pugilists on the international scene.
He also extended financial support to athletes ahead of major international competitions, often paying bonuses and allowances from his personal funds when government support lagged.
Even in death, MKO Abiola’s sports legacy endures. Several initiatives and youth tournaments held in his memory continue to reflect his vision of sport as a tool for youth empowerment, national unity, and global recognition.
“MKO taught us that sport wasn’t just a game — it was a nation-building tool,” said one-time NFA chairman, recalling how Abiola’s vision shaped Nigerian sports policy even from outside government.
As Nigeria reflects on Abiola’s political legacy, the sports sector salutes him as a trailblazer whose investments and ideals continue to inspire new generations of athletes, administrators, and journalists.
Today, there may be no flowers laid or tributes paid. Still, Nigerian sports remember MKO Abiola not just as a martyr of democracy but as the patron saint of Nigerian sports — a visionary whose love for the game burned as brightly as his dream for a better Nigeria.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The death of former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, on July 3, 2025, has once again cast a solemn shadow over July—a month that, over the decades, has become tragically synonymous with the passing of some of Nigeria’s most iconic football figures.
From pioneering coaches and players to football administrators, July seems to carry an eerie pattern of farewells in the Nigerian football community. Sports Village Square recalls the long, haunting list of notable football personalities who have died in this very month:
Jelisavicic Tihomer “Father Tiko” – July 1, 1986
Fondly remembered as the architect of Nigeria’s rise in African football in the 1970s, the Yugoslav coach guided the Green Eagles to third-place finishes at the 1976 and 1978 Africa Cup of Nations.
His era was marked by 45 matches, 24 wins, and a generation of stars. He died in an auto crash in Cancún, Mexico, just two days after the 1986 World Cup ended.
Samuel Ojebode – July 4, 2012
A left fullback and captain of IICC Shooting Stars, Ojebode was part of the legendary 1976 team under Father Tiko. His death marked the near-complete passing of that team’s iconic back four.
Dan Anyiam – July 6, 1977
A pioneer of Nigerian football and vice-captain of the famed 1949 UK Tourists, Anyiam was the first indigenous coach to sign a contract with the Nigeria Football Association (NFA). He was found dead in his car on July 6, 1977.
Muda Lawal – July 6, 1991
The midfield maestro and member of the victorious 1980 AFCON team, Lawal died on the 14th anniversary of Dan Anyiam’s death. He was also a key figure under Father Tiko and a part of IICC’s continental conquests.
Bashorun MKO Abiola – July 7, 1998
Nigeria’s greatest sports philanthropist and financier of several football clubs, including Abiola Babes, MKO Abiola died while in detention. His contribution to football remains unmatched across Africa.
Father Dennis Slattery – July 7, 2003
An Irish missionary and former NFA chairman (1956–1959), Slattery officiated several Challenge Cup finals and was a major figure in school sports development, founding the famed St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka.
Israel Adebajo – July 25, 1969
Founder of the legendary Stationery Stores FC, Adebajo died weeks before his club’s Challenge Cup final appearance. His team was one of the most beloved in Nigeria’s football history.
Enemuo Edozie – July 25, 2004
Edozie Enemuo was the Head of Marketing for the Nigeria Football Association (NFA). He tragically died in a car accident on July 25, 2004, along the Port Harcourt-Aba expressway while travelling to watch a CAF Champions League match between Enyimba and Bakili Bullets. The accident, which involved a collision with a tanker, also claimed the lives of five other people.
Enemuo’s death was a significant loss to the Nigerian football community. He was described as a dedicated and committed individual, and his death was described as “a very big shock” by NFA spokesman Sam Kaalu. At the time of his death, he was survived by three young children
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu – July 25, 2024
A political and sports figure, Iwuanyanwu took over Spartans FC and turned it into Iwuanyanwu Nationale, a dominant club in the 1980s and early ’90s. He passed away at 81.
Mathias Obianika – July 27, 1992
The former Enugu Rangers striker made a memorable debut for Nigeria in 1971 with two goals against Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). He later became Rangers’ chief coach.
Anthony Ikazoboh – July 27, 1999
Former Super Stores player, two-time NFA Chairman and ex-Minister of Sports, Ikazoboh was murdered by armed robbers. He was instrumental in the development of Nigerian football, including the introduction of professional football in 1990.
Akinloye Oyebanji – July 27, 2019
A veteran NTA sports journalist and broadcaster, Oyebanji served for 35 years and retired as Managing Director of NTA Properties. He died after a long illness.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah – July 27, 2024
Owner of FC IfeanyiUbah and a two-time Senator, Ubah died in a London hospital. He was a key investor in football and politics in the southeast region.
Cyril Okosieme – July 29, 1999
Pioneer goalkeeper for Enugu Rangers and later Bendel Insurance, Okosieme’s legacy lives on through his children who also made significant marks in Nigerian sports.
Tesilimi “Thunder” Balogun – July 30, 1972
The first Nigerian professional footballer in England, Balogun was a legend whose powerful shots earned him the nickname “Thunder.” He remains one of the most iconic names in Nigerian football history.
Sam Garba Okoye – July 31, 1978
A key figure in Nigerian football in the 1960s and ’70s, Okoye was known for his flair and trademark headband. He died in a car accident.
The recurring pattern of loss in July is both painful and puzzling for the Nigerian football community.
With Peter Rufai—the Super Eagles’ 1994 AFCON-winning and World Cup goalkeeper—now added to this sombre roll call, the month continues to be one of mourning and reflection in Nigerian football history.
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From flags to a life-size statue, images and homages to Pope Francis were visible all around the Pedro Bidegain stadium in Buenos Aires on Saturday as his beloved San Lorenzo de Almagro soccer team took to the field for the first time since the pontiff’s death.
Players wore jerseys with images of the late Pope along with the words “Together for Eternity,” as a remembrance for the passion Francis showed the team throughout his life, even remaining a member during his 12-year papacy.
A view shows a shirt of the San Lorenzo de Almagro, Pope Francis’ hometown soccer team, with a badge with an image of him and a message reading “together for eternity”, on the day of an Argentine first division match against Rosario Central, following the death of the pontiff, at the Pedro…
“The Pope is from Boedo,” fans chanted before the kickoff, unfurling Vatican-coloured
yellow-and-white flags. The club, based in the Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, plans to name its new stadium after Pope Francis.
During the halftime show, Scholas Occurrentes, an international organization created by the Pope in 2013 to transform global education, also paid tribute to the pope, who died on Monday at the age of 88.
Jorge Bergoglio inherited his passion for the popular Argentine club from his father and never lost it.
“And may San Lorenzo win,” Bergoglio said shortly after his election in 2013, as part of a series of wishes for his home country.
While he never returned to Argentina as pope, a life-size statue of Francis wearing a scarf with the team’s colors, blue and red, around his neck and overlooked the match against Rosario Central from the sidelines.
The match remained scoreless until the 91st minute when Enzo Copetti scored the lone goal for Rosario Central, handing the pope’s hometown team a 1-0 defeat.
During his years at the Vatican, Francis was named an honorary San Lorenzo member and received several visits from club delegations, including one after the club won the Copa Libertadores in 2014 and presented the trophy to the Catholic leader.
-Reuters
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