BY OLA AJAYI, IBADAN
FORMER football legend and Eagles player, Mr. Samuel Ojebode died yesterday at the University College Hospital, Ibadan after he unsuccessfully battled with lung cancer.

His death has thrown the Shooting Stars

Sports Club where he played and emerged a prominent defender into mourning.

Speaking on the circumstances that led to the death of the ex-Super Eagles star, the Oyo State Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Seun Ajayi-Obe said the deceased had been battling with the disease for quite a long time.

He said he had earlier undergone surgical operation at the University College Hospital but the sickness that later claimed his life relapsed.

He said, “the sickness relapsed last year February. He died at the UCH this morning(yesterday). He was placed on oxygen due to the deterioration of his health”.

According to his former club, which posted the death of the footballer on its Facebook page, it said, “the entire Shooting Stars family has mourned the death of former IICC Captain and 3SC chairman, Samuel Ojebode who died in the early hours of Wednesday at the University College Hospital UCH”.

The club stated that the death was received with shock considering the recovery of the late soccer icon from the sickness last year.

Ojebode played for the Industrial Investment and Credit Corporation now known as 3SC. He was the captain of the team that defeated the Zamalek of Egypt to win the African Winners Cup in 1976.

He retired from active football and later joined the State Sports Council from where he retired in the last one decade. He was chairman of the 3SC board during the 11 month reign of the former Gaovernor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Akala

Africa Cup winners club was Nigeria’s first continental trophy and the late Ojebode was the captain of the team. He captained the Shooting Stars team from 1974 to 1980.

He was also a member of the then Green Eagles, playing in the left full back position.