A fresh bout of mourning has enveloped Nigerian football, following confirmation of the death of former national team defender, Yisa Sofoluwe.
Megasportsaena.com gathered that ‘The Dean of Defence’ passed away Tuesday evening in the intensive care unit of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, just four days after news emerged about his ill-health.
The Maroc ’88 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medalist had earlier been diagnosed with mild cerebral atrophy, which in medical terms means the progressive loss of brain cells over time and leads to loss of neurological function.
Before his condition relapsed, Sofoluwe had been admitted at Prince and Life Medical Hospital in Ikorodu of Lagos, but was rushed to LUTH on Friday, after his condition became worse, only for him to give up the ghost on Tuesday.
Earlier same day, sports minister, Sunday Akinlabi Dare initiated moves to rescue Sofoluwe by getting in touch with a sitting state governor to pick the bill for his surgery and reportedly also sent some money through another ex international to support the icon, who was born on December 28, 1967.
‘The Dean of Defence,’ who won 40 caps and scored once for the then Green Eagles of Nigeria and was a member of the squads that reached the finals at AFCON 1984 and 1988, also had an illustrious club career.
He made his marks with Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Abiola Babes of Abeokuta, with which he won the Nigerian FA Cup in 1985 and 1987, before winding down his career at Julius Berger FC of Lagos and Gateway United of Abeokuta.
Leading the flood of eulogies and dirges for the late right-back, his former teammate and fellow ex-international defender, Waidi Akanni, who had been who has been taking care of the 53-year-old legend alongside former youth international, Jide Oguntuase.
Akanni lamented: “Sofoluwe is gone. Sofoluwe didn’t make it. We tried our best to save his life but unfortunately he has gone to be with the Lord. May God rest his soul. We will go there to get his remains.”
On his part, former Eagles goalkeeper and Atlanta ‘96 Olympic Games gold medalist, Joseph Dosu moaned lamely: “Thanks for your support, we lost him, another icon is gone. To God be the glory.”
