Onigbinde's son praises father's brave battle for survival

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Onigbinde

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Mr Oyekunle Onigbinde, the last child of the late national coach, Festus Onigbinde, has said that though his father was sick, he fought well to stay alive.

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Oyekunle said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday.

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The deceased’s son, who described his father as a generous person who cared for all, said his death, on Monday, was a huge shock.

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“He fought well to stay alive.

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“He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery.

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“My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together.

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“He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united.

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“He was the string that knitted many together,” he said.

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Meanwhile, a renowned sports analyst, Tayo Balogun, told NAN that his 40-minute phone conversation with the deceased in 2025 would forever linger in his memory.

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“We went down memory lane, and I thanked him for being who he was: painstaking, foresighted, forthright, forthcoming and incredibly hard-working.

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“I told him I appreciated him and that I was calling to let him know that his contributions to Nigerian football will always be footnoted in history.

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“During the call, I noticed his voice had lost some of its vibration. He attributed this to old age, claiming he was as fit as a fiddle.

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“He asked after my TV Gang of Feyi Ogunduyile and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf (then known as Oshiinaike),” he said.

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Balogun said he praised Onigbinde for what he did to Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).

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“He actually changed the name from IICC Shooting Stars.

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“I asked him if he remembered that I asked him why he was practising penalty kicks after 3SC had comprehensively beaten Tonnere Kalara Club of Yaounde at the Liberty Stadium, just before the second leg match.

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“He told me Remi Asuni, the then Oyo State FA Chairman, asked him the same question and that he answered that ‘if we can beat them 4-0 in Ibadan, they may pay us back in Yaounde’,” he said.

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The 73-year-old veteran analyst said he praised him for his bravery in choosing his players for the 2002 World Cup.

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“I told him I understood why he included Mutiu Adepoju but did not understand why he didn’t play him in any of the matches.

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“He said that was the only mistake he made, but that if I noticed we were quite close in all the matches we played and if he brought in Mutiu and we lost, it would be blamed on Adepoju,” he said.

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Balogun said that Onigbinde was the most thorough Nigerian coach he knew.

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“Each year, he would draw up a list of requirements for his team.

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“With Shooting Stars, he would get 20 per cent, and with the Eagles, he didn’t even get 10 per cent.

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“All the same, he got spectacular results with both teams.

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“He was the first coach to take a group of rookies like Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Paul Okoku, Femi Olukanmi and others to Ghana and beat the then dreaded Black Stars in their country.

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“Onigbinde’s memory will remain indelible.

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“He was a gentleman, humble and highly intelligent.

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“I am glad I got to know you, sir,” he said. (NAN)

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