Dignitaries Pay Glowing Tributes as Ex-Super Eagles Coach Adegboye Onigbinde Is Laid to Rest

Prominent Nigerians from across the country’s political, traditional, sporting, academic, religious, and business communities gathered on Friday at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Modakeke, Osun State, to bid a final farewell to former Super Eagles coach and ex-Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde.

The funeral service attracted top government officials, royal fathers, senior NFF officials, politicians, academics, philanthropists, religious leaders, retired civil servants, business leaders, former Nigerian internationals, and community leaders, all of whom paid glowing tributes to the late football icon.

Tributes poured in for Onigbinde, who made history as the first indigenous coach to lead Nigeria’s senior men’s national team to the Africa Cup of Nations final and the first Nigerian coach to take the Super Eagles to the FIFA World Cup.

Clergy members described the late Modakeke High Chief as an exceptional leader whose contributions extended beyond Nigeria. They recalled his distinguished career, which included serving as Technical Adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and later as a Technical Advisor to FIFA.

Speaking on behalf of the NFF, former Super Eagles captain and coach, Augustine Eguavoen, described Onigbinde as a trailblazer whose intellect, professionalism, and commitment elevated the status of indigenous coaches.

“The NFF recognises and appreciates the immense contributions of late Chief Onigbinde to Nigerian football. Through hard work, dedication, and discipline, he reached the pinnacle of the coaching profession and became a respected figure globally.

“He was the first Nigerian coach to guide the Super Eagles to a silver medal at the Africa Cup of Nations and also the first indigenous coach to lead the team at the FIFA World Cup. Even after retirement, he remained committed to football development by serving as a resource person during NFF coaching programmes. His legacy will continue to inspire generations, and we pray for the peaceful repose of his soul while asking God to comfort his family and the entire Nigerian football community,” Eguavoen said.

Former Nigeria captain and member of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Dr. Felix Owolabi, also praised Onigbinde for his outstanding knowledge of the game, describing him as a courageous mentor and a man of integrity whose impact on Nigerian football remains enduring.

Among those present at the burial were former NFF General Secretary, Ambassador Fanny Amun (MON); NFF Director of Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire; former Super Eagles captain Mutiu Adepoju; representatives of the Osun State Government; traditional rulers; former international players; and ex-players of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan.

As part of its support for the late football legend, the Nigeria Football Federation also made a financial donation to Chief Onigbinde’s family during the funeral programme.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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