Festus Onigbinde, Nigeria's First Indigenous Coach, Dies

High Chief Festus Onigbinde, who was Nigeria's first indigenous coach of the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 88. His family announced his passing on Monday through a statement issued by Bolad Adesuyi, expressing gratitude to God for the life he lived.

Onigbinde was celebrated for his significant contributions to Nigerian football, being described as a father, husband, grandfather, brother, and friend. He celebrated his 88th birthday on March 5.

Onigbinde coached the national team from 1982 to 1984, leading them to a silver medal at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost 1-3 to Cameroon in the final. He was the first to manage the Green Eagles during this period and returned to the national team in 2002, replacing the late Shuaibu Amodu.

Under his management, Nigeria participated in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where they were eliminated in the group stage. Funeral arrangements for the late football icon will be announced later.