Tragedy has again hit the Nigerian football as another member of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning Green Eagles squad, Charles Bassey, has died shortly after the captain of the team, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, passed away in Enugu.
Persecondnews reports that Bassey, aged 71, died during a protracted illness in his native town of Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
Grief-stricken Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Sunday: “We are deeply saddened by the death on Saturday of another member of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning Green Eagles squad, Charles Bassey.
“This has been a day of double tragedy, and the NFF and the entire Nigeria football fraternity are deeply saddened by the turn of events.”
” We lost ‘Chairman’ Chukwu earlier in the day; now, we have to mourn Charles Bassey. May God Almighty grant their souls eternal rest,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said.
Forward Charles Bassey was in the 22-man squad that became Nigeria’s first Africa Cup of Nations champions, after a 3-0 defeat of Algeria’s Fennecs at the National Stadium, Surulere on Saturday, 22nd March 1980.
He later coached some clubs in the country, including Calabar Rovers, home-town club Mobil Pegasus, BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, Akwa United and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.
Persecondnews recalls that Bassey’s death brings to nine the number of members of that squad who have died.
They include goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong, defenders Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima and Tunde Bamidele, midfielders Aloysius Atuegbu and Mudashiru Lawal and forward Martins Eyo.
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