Nigerian sports family mourns Deji Tinubu

• It’s A Colossal Loss, Says Ogba
• Sports Minister, NFF In Shock

The Nigerian sports family was again thrown into mourning yesterday following the sudden dearth of the immediate past Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Honourable Ayodeji Tinubu.

Tinubu was said to have slumped and died while playing five-a-side match with members of the Lagos State Executive Council and permanent secretaries at a resort in Epe on Thursday evening. He was sworn in as Special Adviser on Sports and Chairman of the State’s Sports Commission on October 19, 2015, before he was named as the Governor’s Special Assistant on Commerce and Industry in a recent cabinet reshuffle.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday from Dubai in the United Arabs Emirates, the president of Nigeria Bobsled Federation, Chief Solomon Ogba described Tinubu’s dearth as not only shocking but a colossal loss to Nigerian sports family. Ogba, the immediate past president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), who was in the UAE to witness the Dubai marathon race said: “It is a very pathetic story. It is depleting to every sports loving Nigerian. I am very sad at the moment”

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung expressed deep shock yesterday, describing the death as too shocking and sudden to be true.
“We have interacted so well over the last couple of months since the Lagos state government, through him then as the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission and Special Adviser to his Excellency on Sports, muted the idea of renovating the National Stadium in Lagos.

“His level of intelligence and calmness in the face of challenges was excellent. Working closely with him over the last one year on the proposed Lagos National Stadium project, reinforced my belief that with the help of bright young Nigerians who are in abundant supply home and abroad, the country would be great again,” Dalung said.

The Minister described the late Chief Executive Officer of SportsVision Media as a complete gentleman and a perfect role model to many established and upcoming journalists who wished to tap from his abundant wealth of experience.Dalung prayed that God will console the Lagos state Governor, and give the good people of Lagos, the sports fraternity and his immediate family members the fortitude to bear this painful loss. 

On its part, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said it was in utter shock over the death Tinubu, a former Board Member of the federation.“The death of Ayodeji Tinubu came as a rude shock. It was like a knife through the heart. The NFF and the Nigerian Football family have lost a great member, friend and supporter.
 
“As Special Assistant (Sports) to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, he helped to actualize the hosting of the 2nd CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations in Lagos State in December 2016. He had also been in the forefront of other projects in which Lagos State was partnering the NFF before he was posted from Sports to become the Governor’s SA on Commerce earlier this month,” NFF 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi said.

Ayodeji Tinubu served as Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, before winning election to become a Member of the NFF Executive Committee in 2010. He served as Chairman of the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee under the Aminu Maigari administration of 2010-2014.NFF President Amaju Pinnick was in grief: “Earlier this month, we were all together in Accra, Ghana for the CAF African Football Awards. He was in the entourage of Governor Ambode, and was his usual lively self.