Super Eagles of Nigeria might have qualified for the final of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, (AFCON) but the victory came at a cost.
Four notable Nigerians died while watching the match, leaving a bittersweet feeling on the minds of the people of the country.
www.theoctopusnews.com present a list of five people who died watching the match in different locations and the circumstances that led to their death.
Atiba Abdullahi
Late Atiba Abdullahi
Untill his death, Alhaji Atiba Abdullahi, was the Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University Malete.
He died on Wednesday night while watching the semi-final between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing 2023 AFCON.
Nigeria won the match against South Africa by 4-2 goals on penalties after regulation and extra time ended 1-1.
According to reports, Abdullahi went to a sports centre in the Sango area before he started feeling uneasy. He watched the Nigeria versus South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, till it was time for a penalty kick.
At a point, he complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest not knowing that his BP had gone up. However, on getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Sango and he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, but he died before he was attended to.
He was buried on Thursday morning according to Islamic rites.
Cairo Ojougboh
Late Cairo Ojougboh
Cairo Ojougboh, a popular chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), also died watching the Super Eagles defeat South Africa.
According to reports, Ojougboh slumped and died on Wednesday, February 7 while watching the 2023 AFCON semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa.
The former member of the House of Representatives, who represented the Ika federal constituency of Delta State at the national assembly died during a penalty kick against Nigeria.
“As soon as a penalty kick was awarded against Nigeria during the AFCON match with South Africa on Wednesday’s semi-final clash in Bouake, Ivory Coast, he slumped”, a source was quoted as saying.
Samuel
Caricature of an NYSC corp member
Another person who died watching the Super Eagles qualify for the 2023 AFCON final is an Adamawa corps member identified simply as Samuel.
The deceased, a National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, slumped and died while watching Nigeria’s Super Eagles clash with South Africa’s Bafana.
Samuel died before the last shootout that saw Nigeria progressing to the final of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON). He was watching the game in a Sports Viewing Center (SVC) in Numan, but fainted and died before the kick-off of the winning goal.
The corps member who was from Kaduna died before he could be rushed to the hospital in Numan.
According to his colleagues who went with him to watch the match, the late corps member told them that he didn’t like watching penalty shootout, he then bowed his head, and all of a sudden he collapsed.
Samuel’s death has been confirmed by the NYSC Coordinator in Adamawa State, Jingi Dennis.
Chief Osondu Nwoye
Late Osondu Nwoye
Anambra-born billionaire, Chief Osondu Nwoye, reportedly also died while watching the Super Eagles of Nigeria play against the South African national team.
Nwoye was said to be the richest Igbo businessman based in Ivory Coast before his death. News of his death was made known in a post by a Facebook user, Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, on Thursday, February 8.
He was said to be on top of the moon, shouting at the top of his voice, when Nigerian striker, Victor Osihmen scored the second goal, which was later cancelled by the Video Assistant Referee, (VAR).
According to Iwuchukwu, the shock of seeing the goal cancelled and a penalty awarded to South Africa was too much to bear for him, leading to his collapse inside the stadium.
He was immediately rushed to the hospital but all efforts to revive him failed as he was pronounced dead.
Mikail Osundiji
A 43-year-old man identified as Mikail Osundiji, also died while watching the semi-final football match between Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa.
Osundiji who is based in Abeokuta, Ogun State died on Wednesday, February 7.
The father of two went into shock and died while watching the match at a public football viewing centre in Olomoore area of Abeokuta. Eyewitnesses say the deceased died when the referee cancelled Nigeria’s second goal against South Africa. The goal was scored by Victor Osimhen.
Relatives said the deceased did not show any sign of sickness before his death.
An elder sister to the deceased, Adetunji Nofisat, confirmed the development to DailyTrust, adding that Osundiji suddenly breathed out heavily after the cancellation of Nigeria’s second goal, lowered his head, and consequently fell to the ground at the football viewing center.
“That was when other people at the football viewing center rushed to him and took him to one of the private hospitals in Olomoore before the doctor on duty pronounced him dead”, the deceased’s sister said.
Tthe remains of the deceased had been buried on Thursday afternoon according to the Islamic rites.
“We cannot take his corpse to his hometown, Okuku in Osun State because he still has a father, mother and two children who are of 12 and seven years of age”, she said.
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