The Organizers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards have expressed shock at the death of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, a former Nigerian football star and former General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation.
Shina Philips, President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, said he was shocked when the news of the death of Chief Ogunjobi got to him. ‘I couldn’t believe it when the news first got to me. He was full of life the last time we met’, Philips said.
‘Ogunjobi’s death is a loss of unimaginable proportion. He has done so much for our football both as a footballer and an administrator and somebody like that should be around to help sustain the development of our football.’ Philips continued.
‘We commiserate with the President of the NFF, Mr Amaju Pinnick, the Board and management teams, the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi and the entire football family in Nigeria. We pray God will grant his family the fortitude to bear this loss and grant them long life and sound health,’ he concluded.
Chief Ogunjobi was the captain of the Nigerian academicals in the 1970s before joining the IICC Shooting Stars. He was a member of the then Green Eagles who won the silver medal at the 1984 African Cup of Nations played in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire).
Chief Ogunjobi managed the IICC Shooting Stars and Julius Berger Football Club before becoming the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Association as the Federation was then known. Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Osun State Football Association.
The Nigeria Pitch Awards have honoured Nigerian past and present football heroes since 2013.
