Ibadan – The Oyo State Government has described the death of Joseph Ladipo, the former Super Falcons coach and immediate past Chairman of Shooting Stars Board,  as a big loss to the state and the nation

The state Commissioner for Sports, Mr Dapo Lam-Adeshina, said in Ibadan that  Ladipo, popularly called “Jossy Lad,’’ was  a legend who contributed a lot to the development of football.

He said it was sad that the Ladipo died at the time he was recuperating from a protracted illness.

The commissioner said that the state government and well meaning Nigerians did a lot to  ensure that the ailment was tackled.

“We ensured that he was taken to University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for proper medical care and visited him severally.

“It is sad that death eventually took him at the time his health was improving,’’ Lam-Adeshina said.

He said the landmark achievements of the deceased would be hard to erase being the first player to lift the club’s continental trophy for Nigeria as WNDC captain in 1976.

The commissioner said that  Ladipo also served excellently as the coach of Shooting Stars and managed the club  as  Chairman of the Board.  (NAN)