By Akinwale Kasali
Less than 48 hours after the passing of former Super Eagles Captain and Coach, Christian Chukwu, another ex-International, Charles Bassey has, also, passed.
Both Chukwu and Bassey were members of the victorious 1980 African Cup of Nations team that won the African showpiece for Nigeria on home soil in 1980.
Bassey died in his native town of Eket, Akwa Ibom, on Saturday— few hours after the death of Chukwu.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, confirmed his death on Monday.
In 2019, Bassey revealed he had suffered a “nerve root compression” in his spinal cord following a car accident in 1986.
The ex-footballer added that the damage was worsening, and he was experiencing difficulty walking. He made a public plea for financial support.
In 2021, Bassey disclosed that the Femi Otedola Foundation funded his Spinal Cord Surgery.
Bassey was also a manager, and he managed many football clubs in the Nigerian league, such as Calabar Rovers, Wikki Tourist of Bauchi, BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingos, Mobil Pegasus of Eket, and Akwa United Football Club.
Bassey’s passing brings the number of members in the 1980 AFCON team who have departed to nine.
They include: Best Ogedegbe, Moses Effiong, Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima, Tunde Bamidele, Aloysius Atugbu, Mudashiru Lawal and Martins Eyo.
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