By Paul Bassey
This week, I had wanted to contribute to the Public hearing on sports held by the Senate last week, only to be torpedoed by the sudden death of one of Nigeria’s greatest referees, Sunny Badru.

Three weeks ago, he performed his unofficial farewell when at the meeting of the sports veterans decided to fete everyone with snacks and minerals. He then made to clear his N15, 000  dues and other debts with a hundred dollar note ( He had just returned from a CAF assignment in Togo, so he could afford to pay in dollars,we joked.)  It was my duty to drop him off where he could pick a taxi as we looked forward to meeting at General Adefope’s Christian wake keep last Friday.

We never met. Last Thursday, he died.

At the ripe old age of 80, the man with the golden whistle, the only Nigerian with the FIFA referee special merit award, was on Monday, December 22, 2008 honoured with the award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) one of the 65 Nigerians so considered.

For Alhaji Badru, the journey to recognition  started with a letter dated December 12 2008 from the then Honourable Minister of Special Duties Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe informing him of the approval of  Mr. President  of the “ …Conferment of the Nigerian National Honours  in the rank of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on you”.

“The letter was like a thunderbolt.  It hit me hard.  First I was confused and started asking questions.  Everyone I called said I should celebrate, thank my God for this honour, especially in my life time  “ Alhaji Badru said.

Christened “Sunny” by Reverend Father Dennis Slattery due to his petite frame and the Irish man’s difficulty in pronouncing his name, he was Born Shakibudeen Thompson Badru in 1928 into the family of Falilatu Animashaun (Nee Thompson) and Yekini Ajadi Badru (descendant of Shitta-Bey) both of Lagos State.

He attended Baptist Academy Lagos, Bishop Oluwole Memorial School Agege and finally New High Class School Shitta Street, Lagos where he obtained his S-75 in 1946.

Immediately he left school, he joined the Lagos Referees Association in 1946 on probation. Between 1946 and 1958, he was promoted to Grade III, and later Grade I. Also within this period, Sunny Badru officiated in Boy’s Club Football matches, Lagos Amateur Football Association League matches, for Division One, Two and Three, including Commercial and United Services Matches.

His first International match was in 1958, when he officiated along with late Father Dennis Slattery as an assistant referee (Nigeria vs Middlesex Wanderers).

In 1959 he was recommended to FIFA to take up an Olympic qualifying International match between Uganda and Sudan, played in Kampala, Uganda, on the 3rd of January 1960.

His next International match was on October 1st 1960 (Independence day) between Nigeria and Moscow Dynamos at the National Stadium in Surulere. He officiated in the Ghana F.A Cup final, also in 1960, where he was presented with the “Golden Whistle” after the match.

In 1961, he was honoured and privileged again to officiate in a match between Nigeria and Blackpool Football Club of England at the King George V Stadium, Onikan

In 1963, he officiated a match between Nigeria and Berliners from Germany between 1963 and 1967, he officiated in so many “Principal Cup” matches, League matches, finals of Cup matches and also officiated along with other International referees all over Africa with the exception of South Africa during Olympic qualifying  matches and World Cup qualifying  Matches.

In 1968, he was invited by FIFA as one of the  referees for the final of the 1968 Mexico Olympic final matches where he was given a Diploma and Certificate signed by Avery Brundage, the then President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sunny Badru officiated up to the quarter finals in three different Cities in Mexico, namely, Leon, Guada-Iajara, and Aseetac Stadium. In 1976, he was again invited to the 21st Games of the Olympics held in Montreal Canada, where he also got a Diploma Certificate signed by Roger Rousseau, President of the Organising Committee and Commissioner – General of the Games, and Lord Killanin, President of the  International Olympic Committee (This game was later boycotted at the last minute, by all African Contingents due to  apartheid in South Africa.

Sunny Badru also officiated in matches during the All African Games between December 1964 and January 1965, and also during the  1st West Africa Games held in both Lagos and Ibadan in 1977.

He also officiated during the 1963 African Cup of Nations in Ghana as well as at the 12th African Cup of Nations in Nigeria 1980.

During the 9th African Youth Championship held in Nigeria in 1995, he was in charge of the referees who were accommodated at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Sunny Badru was a recipient of the National Sports award in 1987 along with late Father Slattery. He is a recipient of the Veteran Certificate from the Abia State Referee’s Council and also honoured by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers “Tagged” NANF Ball Award”.

He was the first Nigerian referee to be accorded the status of an International referee. He served for 18 years up till 1978, and shortly after was appointed CAF Match Commissioner till date.

Sunny Badru was given a “FIFA” Referee Special Merit  Award in recognition of his performance as a National  and international  referee and his outstanding work  as a referee instructor. This Award was signed by Dr. Atemio Franchi, the Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee.

He was the only Referee in Nigeria with this Award.

The Veterans will miss him sorely, Nigerians too.

Adieu, Sunny

See you next week.