By Akinwale Kasali
Exactly one week after the demise of former Super Eagles and Lobi Football Club of Nigeria Coach, Barnabas Imenger, the nation’s Football enclave has, again, been thrown into mourning.
This time around, the cold hands of death snatched the former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Kashimawo Laloko
Laloko died on Sunday 28th March, 2021, after a brief illness.
The death of Laloko was confirmed by his son, Adewale, late Sunday night.
“He had been feeling weak before he died on Sunday. It was as a result of weakness, not COVID-19,” Adewale revealed.
The late Laloko will be buried on Tuesday at his Gbonagun residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital.
Laloko was one of the pioneers that established the Pepsi Football Academy in Lagos in November 1992 and has produced some of the country’s brightest football talents ever since, with the likes of Mikel John Obi, Osaze Odemweingie, Joseph Akpala, Isaac Okoronkwo, Elderson Echiejile, Onyekachi Apam to mention a few.
Laloko will be greatly remembered for his impact in the round leather game in Nigeria, most especially the event that took place at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos during the African Cup of Nations tournament in 2002.
The Continental showpiece was co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana. In the quarter finals, Nigeria was playing the Teranga Lions of Senegal in a tension soaked encounter.
The Super Eagles were a goal down from the Fifth minute of the game through a striker from Henri Camara. Having tried its best to get the much needed equalizer and it wasn’t coming forth.
Laloko went to the back of the Senegalese goalkeeper to remove an object wrapped with a red cloth placed right behind the keeper in the goal Post as the match was going on.
Few minutes after removing the object, believed to be a voodoo to prevent the Nigeria team from scoring, Julius Aghahowa gave Nigeria the much needed equaliser and the winning goal to give the ferocious crowd something to cheer about.
The late Laloko was tagged the ‘Voodoo Removal Man’. Though, he was sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football, CAF, for doing such, not minding that the match was ongoing.
