Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Edo state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, disclosed that the former Super Eagles Coach, Shaibu Amodu, was discovered dead in his room on Saturday morning at his house, located at Delta Crescent, GRA, Benin.
Afegbua, a cousin of the late coach, confirmed this to TheNEWS this morning at Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
“We were together yesterday. He came to my house in the morning and we were discussing Keshi. He told me he would be travelling to Okpella this morning (Saturday). Later in the day, he was at the police station to see one of the family members who was arrested.
“Later in the night, he only complained of chest pain, and we called a doctor to check his blood pressure and it was 140 over 100. He was advised to take his drugs and also stop participation in the Ramadan fasting.
“He later led the Tarawih (Muslim fasting prayer) for the family. And after the prayer, he went to bed after eating.
“He was discovered dead in his room at about 4 this morning when they went to wake him up for the (Suhur) morning prayer.
It is double tragedy – Izilen
Meanwhile, former coach of the national female team, Godwin Izilien, has described the death of Shaibu Amodu as a double tragedy.
Izilien who spoke to journalists at Stella Obasanjo hospital this morning, said: “If you see me shedding tears, it is not because Shaibu Amodu is dead. I was trying to reach him several times yesterday but his line was not available, which was unusual. But I eventually got him in the evening and he told me he was at the police station, that he was some of his relations to bail one of their family members.
“I eventually went to meet him at the police station where I told him I’ve brought the driver he requested and he said we should meet by 10 this morning to interview him. And this is the meeting,” he said, and burst into tears.
He described the death of Amodu, just four days after the death of Stephen Keshi, as a double tragedy for the nation.
The author, Jethro Ibileke, can be reached at jethroibileke@gmail.com