Tragedy struck at the hub of grassroots football, Olubadan Stadiumm Ibadan, Oyo State on Saturday when a player slumped and all efforts to revive him failed as he died on the spot.
Onyebuchi Onyekwere, 26, who is still learning a trade at Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, was participating for the first time in Traders Cup soccer tourney organized among popular markets in Ibadan.
Onyekwere was confirmed to be hale and hearty before the match that involved Aleshinloye FC and Feleye Market FC, according to one of his team mates, who craved for anonymity.
The teammate said: “We have trained together twice this week before this match and Onyebuchi never showed any sign of ailing.
“He just slumped without any contact from any player and died before we could reach Oke-Ado hospital here.
“Everything was quite shocking.”
While reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Ibadan Football Association, the custodian of the stadium, Alhaji Banji Akintayo, said such a disaster has never happened at the ever busy soccer venue, as they always take all precautionary measures to prevent causality.
Akintayo, however, prayed God to give the family of the late player, his team and the Igbo Community, who are the organisers of the tourney, the fortitude to bear the loss.
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