By Dayo Awoniyi
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) is in mourning following the sudden passing of referee assessor Mrs. Rachel Enagbare in Lagos.
Enagbare, who was on official duty during the Matchday 4 fixture between Ikorodu City and Barau FC, reportedly fell ill at the stadium and was rushed to Havanah Hospital, Surulere, where she later died from complications linked to an undisclosed ailment.
Describing her death as a painful loss, NPFL Chairman, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, said: “The NPFL family is deeply saddened by the unfortunate and unexpected passing of the former referee who has been working with us as a match referee assessor.
“We extend our sincere condolences to her immediate family and to the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA).”
Elegbeleye further assured that the league body will work closely with the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), Lagos Referees Council, and the NRA to ensure that Enagbare’s remains are returned to her family.
Her passing marks a huge loss, not only for the NPFL but also for the refereeing fraternity across Nigeria.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
