Edo FA honours late Amodu Shuaibu

The Edo Football Association yesterday poured encomiums on late Super Eagles coach, Amodu Shuaibu who died a year ago, as the association hailed his contributions to the development of football in the country.

It described the late Shuaibu as a rare gem, whose role in the developments of sports had placed Nigeria in an enviable position among the comity of nations.

Chairman of the association, Frank Ilaboya, at a memorial lecture held in honour of the late coach at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, where he said the late Shuaibu displayed sterling qualities that endeared him to many admirers within and outside the country.

Shuaibu died at the age of 58 on June 11, 2016,‎ few days after another Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, passed away. He led the Eagles to qualify for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups.

He also helped the Nigeria national team to secure third place at the 2002 and 2010 African Cup of Nations.
   At the event, a veteran coach, Alabi ‎Aisien, who delivered a lecture titled “Life and Times of Late Coach Amodu Eshiogieme Shuaibu,” stated that the late sports icon was a hard working man who had a lot of vision but did not believe that success in life was achieved by chance or luck.

“He was a hard working man with a lot of vision. He did not believe that success is achieved by chance or luck.

“He worked so hard as if prayers do not matter and yet, he prayed so much as if hard work is not necessary. These were the concepts that informed all of his work success; he was a huge success.”

Aisien noted that the Shuaibu promoted grassroots football in Edo State, even after he was relieved of his national assignment in 2010.
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“He quickly brought his administrative and organisational know-how to play. He held top level discussions with the ministry of education and asked for the revamp of school sports,” he added.