NFF mourns Heartland coach, Obi

The Nigeria Football Federation has described the death of Heartland FC coach and former U-20 goalkeeper, Christian Obi, as shocking and sad.

Heartland’s Media Officer, Olatunde Liadi confirmed the death of the gaffer in a statement on Saturday, following a ghastly accident involving one of the team’s buses on their way to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, for a pre-season tournament on Friday.

“With sadness in our hearts and with total submission to the will of God, Heartland FC is announcing the death of Christian Power Obi who died on Friday, August 23, 2024, from a road accident en route to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State to participate in the TICO/SELECT Ifeanyi Ekwueme Pre-season Tournament,” the club said in a statement on Saturday.

“The heartbreaking day saw the Heartland FC team departing the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri for the pre-season tournament with enthusiasm at around 3:30 pm in three vehicles but at about some minutes after 4 pm, one of the vehicles rammed into a carelessly parked truck in its attempt to evade an oncoming vehicle.

“The driver tried as he could but the impact of the collision caused a sudden shock to our coach, Obi who was unconscious with a slight injury to his right leg upon evacuation from the badly affected part of the bus.

“Coach Obi and other injured players were rushed to the nearby hospital at Okwelle in Onuimo LGA of Imo State but despite the best efforts of the medical personnel our revered coach gave up the ghost,” the statement added.

NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau, said, “We are still stunned and saddened by the report. Our hearts go out to the immediate family of coach Christian Obi, his friends and relations, the Imo State Football Association and the Imo State Government, owners of Heartland Football Club.”

The former Nigeria Premier Football League side also paid tributes to their late coach who guided them back to the top flight last season.

“His name would continue to remain etched in the history of the club following the club’s unbeaten run in the Nigeria National League throughout the 2022/23 season a feat that culminated in the club winning the NNL Super 8 in Asaba, Delta State.

“We appreciate the concerns from all and sundry on the unfortunate incident but the club demands that its privacy and that of the late Obi’s family be respected during this dark period. The club will not be making further statements for the time being.”

Obi was a member of the Nigeria U-20 team that won the bronze at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship (now FIFA U-20 World Cup) in the then Soviet Union, defeating the host nation in a penalty shootout in the third-place match after a scoreless regulation and extra time in Moscow.

Though Obi was second-choice goalkeeper, he was thrown into action in the third-place match following injury to first-choice Aloysius Agu in the 2-0 defeat to Brazil in the semi-finals in Leningrad, and Obi’s heroics in saving three of the Soviet Union team’s penalty kicks handed Nigeria a 3-1 win in the shootout and first-ever podium finish at the tournament.

The late coach was also part of Nigeria’s squad for the men’s football tournament of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.