Nigerians who died while watching Super Eagles match against South Africa
The keenly contested match between Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Bafana Bafana players of South Africa has brought both happiness and sorrow.
Nigeria won the match against South Africa by 4-2 goals on penalties after regulation, and extra time ended 1-1, giving the Super Eagles a spot at the 2023 AFCON finals.
The anxiety and tension of the tournament has however made some Nigerians breathe their last.
The match ended in favour of the Super Eagles after they emerged victorious with a 4-2 penalty shootout.
Though these Nigerian fans started the match hale and hearty and were full of life, they didn’t live to celebrate the victory at the end.
Nigerian politician Dr Cairo Ojougboh
A prominent Nigerian politician, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain in Delta State breathed his last while watching the match between Super Eagles and South Africa.
Ojougboh died just as a penalty was awarded to Nigeria against South Africa.
According to reports, the late politician was the director general of the Coalition for Peace and Unity, and a former member of the federal House of Representatives.
Corps member, Samuel
A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member simply identified as Samuel, collapsed and died while watching the penalty shootout that secured Nigeria’s victory in the match against South Africa.
Samuel, a serving corps member in Adamawa State, was said to have passed away before the final shootout that secured Nigeria’s spot in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
It was gathered that Samuel fainted during the celebration of Nigeria’s victory. Despite efforts to get him medical attention at the hospital, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Jingi Dennis, confirmed the incident, stating that Samuel collapsed after expressing discomfort with penalty shootouts.
According to his colleagues who went with him to watch the match, the NYSC member told them that he doesn’t like watching penalty shootout, he then bowed his head and all of a sudden he collapsed.
Kwara University deputy bursar, Alhaji Ayuba Abdullahi
Also on a sad note, the Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University Malete, Alhaji Ayuba Abdullahi, suddenly died while watching the semi-finals between Nigeria and South Africa.
Sources close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity said Abdullahi went to a sports centre in the Zango area before he started feeling uneasy.
One of the sources said, “The Deputy Bursar watched the Nigeria/South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, till it was time for a penalty kick.
“He complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest not knowing that his BP had gone up.
“On getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Zango and he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and before he could be attended to, he died.
“He was buried on Thursday morning according to Islamic rites.”
The university’s Director of Information, Dr Saedat Aliyu, confirmed Abdullahi’s death.
The Super Eagles are expected to face Ivory Coast, AFCON hosts, on Sunday for the final part of the tournament.
