Ayo Ogunlana: Former Super Eagles star laid to rest

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The remain of former Super Eagles star, Ayo Ogunlana was laid to rest in his home town, Kaduna on Saturday.

The family of the former midfield maestro had released the burial arrangements ahead of the final interment which was held on 1st March 2025.

His body left St. Gerald Catholic Hospital to Barnawa Cemetery on Saturday.

The departed midfield pearl was a star attraction during several important Nigeria FA Cup battles in the 1980s and held sway in the middle for the Super Eagles in the late 1980s and at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Algeria.

The former Nigeria international midfielder died on Friday, 14th February, 2025 in Kaduna after observing his early-morning walk.

The family confirmed to www.amatropics.com that he died of cardiac arrest after the early morning walk out.

He was said to have slumped on the thread mill after his aerobic session at the gym.

Ogunlana was magisterial in the midfield as Nigeria overhauled Guinea and Zimbabwe to qualify for the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, and was imperial against Cameroon in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan that the Super Eagles won with an emphatic 2-0.

He also played in the 1990 Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Cup competition that Nigeria hosted in Kaduna.

In March 1990, the midfield generalissimo earned rave reviews as Nigeria finished with the silver medals at the 17th Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria, even coming close to bagging Nigeria a late equalizer in the final against hosts and winners Algeria, from his favourite dead-ball position.