Former NFF Boss Obaseki Is Dead

The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed shock over the death of a former Chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League and 2nd Vice President of the NFF, Chief Oyuiki Obaseki.

The 75-year-old Obaseki, also known as ‘Moving Train’, died on Sunday in Benin City.

In a statement on Sunday, 2nd Vice President of the NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi, described the deceased as a visionary leader.

“A truly big tree has fallen. We remember very much the work that Obaseki did to promote and project the elite division of the Nigeria League during his time as chairman. It was difficult to match his passion and energy as he pursued his vision for an independent League body.

“We worked together at some point during the early days of the efforts to reposition the Nigeria Premier League. He took everything that needed to be done as a project and drove everyone else around him hard to play their own roles appropriately,” Akinwunmi said.

Obaseki, Ohe of Bini Kingdom, was pioneer Chairman of the Interim Management Committee, which was inaugurated in February 2005, and which transmuted to the Nigeria Premier League the following year.

As the Chairman of the Premier League, Obaseki was automatically the 2nd VP of the NFF during the regime of AlhajiSani Lulu Abdullahi – 2006-2010.