Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye has expressed sadness at the death of Heartland FC Coach, Christian Obi and injuries sustained by some players of the club in an accident on Friday, August 23.
Obi was a former Nigeria international goalkeeper and has been the Head Coach of the club in the last two seasons.
Elegbeleye narrated that news of the incident filtered in slowly while the NPFL hosted Club Coaches to a workshop preparatory to the start of the new season.
“We were hosting the NPFL Coaches, Captains and Team Managers to a workshop in Abuja, updating them on the new rules rolled out by IFAB when we read snippets from social media posts but could not immediately confirm the veracity.
“It turned out to be true and it is devastating, it is cruel but at the end, we accept that this is life and death is inevitable”, lamented Elegbeleye.
He extended condolence on behalf of the NPFL Board and the Clubs to the immediate family and friends of the deceased, and to the Management of Heartland FC and the Imo State Government.
“Our thoughts are with his immediate and extended family, his friends, Heartland FC players and officials as well as to the Imo State Government”, stated the NPFL Chairman.
He also wished those who sustained injuries in the accident “a speedy and full recovery to return to action on the field of play as soon as is medically possible”.
“While we await further reports on the accident, we would like to assure the club that the NPFL would be in solidarity with them at this very difficult period”.
According to reports, the accident occured as the team comprising players and officials were on their way to Abakaliki for a pre-season tournament before their bus ran into a stationary vehicle while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle in Okigwe.
Obi was a member of the Flying Eagles team that finished third at the 1985 FIFA Youth Championship (now FIFA U20 World Cup) in Russia, beating the host nation on penalty shootout in the third-place match.
Obi was second-choice goalkeeper but was thrown into the fray in the third-place match following injury to first-choice Aloysius Agu in the loss to Brazil in the semi finals. He was exceptionally agile in stopping three of Russia’s penalty kicks to hand Nigeria a 3-1 win.
He would later be in the Nigeria Olympic football team to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
