A cousin of former Super Eagles coach and current National Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Shuaibu Amodu, has revealed the cause and manner of the football legend’s death.
Kazeem Afegbua, who is also the Commissioner of Information in Edo, said Amodu was a high blood pressure patient, adding that he died in his sleep at about 04:00 on Saturday.
He said Amodu who led prayers before the family went to bed Friday night only complained of chest pains and a doctor was called to the house to check him.
“He was checked and certified okay and they all went to bed.
“He was actually a BP (high blood pressure) patient and his BP last (Friday) night when the doctor checked was 140/100. The doctor only warned him to stop fasting.
“After the prayers, he went to bed but asked that he should be wakened up at 04:00 to prepare for the fasting.
“It was around 04:00 when they tried to wake him to prepare for the fasting that they saw him dead. That was all. He didn’t wake up,” Afegbua said.
His body has been moved to Okpella Saturday morning for burial according to Muslim rites.
Amodu, who was a four times coach of the Super Eagles led Nigeria to qualification for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, but was sacked before the tournaments started.
His death comes three days after that of ex-Nigeria captain and coach Stephen Keshi, who died aged 54.