By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
A Nigeria Premier Football League referee, Dr. Kingsley Nnaemeka Eneogwe has passed away after he was involved in an automobile accident on the Abuja-Kogi-Enugu road.
The referee was on his way back home from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match between Nasarawa United and Plateau United on Wednesday before his involvement in the accident which took his life.
The match day five encounter ended 2-1 in favour of visiting Plateau United with goals from Ibrahim Mustapha and Onyebuchi Ifeanyi securing handing the Peace Boys victory in the match officiated by deceased Nnaemeka.
Confirming the development, the Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep shock and sorrow over the news.
“This is one death that gnaws at the heart real tight. A young man with his life ahead of him, someone doing so well in his profession and in his avocation, and had worked hard to earn the respect of colleagues and acquaintances across board. I am in deep shock and sorrow,” a flustered President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau said in Algeria where he is attending the African Nations Championship as a guest of the Confederation of African Football.
Gusau added: “I pray that Almighty God will forgive him his sins and give him eternal rest, and also grant those he has left behind including his immediate family, friends and relations, members of the refereeing family, the NRA and Nigeria Football as a whole the fortitude to bear this big loss.”
Eneogwe, a practising medical doctor, had been part of the officiating crew for the midweek Nigeria Premier Football League match between Nasarawa United FC and Plateau United FC at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Wednesday, 1st February 2023. He was returning to his base before the unfortunate accident.
The news is such a sad one to the Nigeria Referee Association (NRA) at this time of the league campaign. Refereeing in the NPFL is receiving praises from enthusiasts as a result of impressive results especially the rate of away wins.
There is always an away win to look forward to every week since the Interim Management Committee (IMC) took charge of referees’ indemnities, with two away wins were recorded during match day five games across ten centres.
That alone is a testament to improvement in refereeing as far as the league is concerned. 29 Nigerian referees this week also received their badges to officiate in FIFA matches this year.
