The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, has described Taiwo Ogunjobi as a humble technocrat who dedicated his life to the administration of football in Nigeria.
Dalung stated this in a statement signed by Special Assistant, Media, to the minister, Nneka Anibeze, on Monday in Abuja.
He said the news of the demise of the former Nigeria Football Federation scribe was shocking.
The minister said the sad news was announced by late Chief Ogunjobi’s Personal Assistant Tunde Shamsudeen on Monday.
Dalung said Ogunjobi reportedly died at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
“The former Osun State Football Association Chairman was a humble technocrat who dedicated his life to the administration of football in Nigeria.
“I am shocked to hear of Chief Ogunjobi’s death. I saw him last year prior to the NFF elections.
“He came to personally inform me of his intent to contest the NFF presidential elections.
“He was a seasoned administrator and had contributed immensely to the development of football in Nigeria, especially in his home state, Osun.
“I commiserate with his immediate family members, the Osun State football Association, and other football stakeholders who knew or worked with him.
“He has left an indelible mark and a vacuum in football administration in the country. May God grant his soul eternal rest and his family, the fortitude to bear this loss.’’
Ogunjobi’s last public appearance was on Wednesday at the Oshogbo Township Stadium during a Week 7 NPFL Southwest derby between Remo Stars and MFM FC.
He was a Special Assistant to former Osun State Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, on Football matters.
Ogunjobi served as Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation from 1996 to 2010 and captained the former IICC Shooting Stars in the late 1970s, winning two continental championships.
Ogunjobi left an indelible mark…. Oyo SWAN
Several ex-footballers and football administrators on Monday described the death of ex-international, Taiwo Ogunjobi, as a rude shock and big loss to the Nigerian football family.
While speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Monday, they all said the former Secretary-General of the then Nigeria Football Association has left behind a big void.
NAN reports that the 65-year-old former player of the defunct IICC Shooting Stars died in the early hours of Monday at the University College Hospital in Ibadan.
The deceased was said to have been admitted into the hospital on Saturday evening, but died in the early hours of Monday in spite of showing signs of getting better.
Ike Shorunmu, an ex-international, said he received the news of Ogunjobi’s death as a rude shock, describing it as a great loss to the football family.
“When I heard the news, I could not believe it until I called someone at the UCH who confirmed the news to me.
“The news was a very rude shock. This is a great loss to the football family. He was like a father and brother to me. I am very sure he would be missed for good by the entire football family,” he said.
Bolaji Ojo-Oba, a former General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), while describing the late Ogunjobi as a great man, said his death was shocking.
He said the Nigerian football family has lost an open-minded administrator who would be greatly missed by the global football family.
Duke Udi, a former Nigerian footballer, said he has lost a father in late Ogunjobi.
“The late Ogunjobi brought me to Ibadan in 1994 and whatever I became today was through him. He bought my first house for me here in Ibadan.
“This is my home. I cannot even imagine he is gone. Nigerian football will miss him a lot,” he said.
Also, the Oyo State Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), described the death of Ogunjobi, who was until his death the Chairman of Osun State Football Association, as “a great loss to the football fraternity in Nigeria and Africa’’.
In a condolence message signed by its Chairman, Niyi Alebiosu, and Secretary, Adewale Tijani, Oyo State SWAN recalled Ogunjobi’s remarkable contributions to football development in the country.
“Ogunjobi left his indelible marks in the glorious history of Nigerian football as a successful footballer and astute administrator,” it said.
Oyo State SWAN added that the history of football in Nigeria would not be complete without the enumeration of the laudable contributions of the Osun-born football legend.
“We pray for the repose of the soul of a football administrator whose demise has created a big vacuum difficult to fill,’’ it said.
The late Ogunjobi who played for IICC, now 3SC, and the Nigerian national team, then known as the Green Eagles, later was an administrator at 3SC in the 1990s.
He later moved to the NFA, where he served as Secretary General during the tenure of Dominic Oneya and Ibrahim Galadima as NFA Chairmen.
The deceased further moved on to serve on the NFF Executive Committee, where he was also the Chairman of State FA Chairmen during the Sani Lulu-Abdullahi administration.
(NAN)
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