High Chief Onigbinde, the first indigenous coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles has passed on at the age of 88.
He made history as the first Nigerian to coach the Super Eagles, a milestone that etched his name permanently in the annals of Nigerian football.
Widely respected for his tactical brilliance, discipline, and commitment to developing homegrown talent, he played a significant role in shaping the growth of football in Nigeria and inspiring generations of players and coaches.
Beyond the pitch, he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, as well as a distinguished traditional title holder in Modakeke.
In a statement released on behalf of the family, Mrs. Bolade Adesuyi expressed deep gratitude to God for the impactful and fulfilled life he lived.
โWe thank God for a life well spent and for his immense contributions to the Nigerian nation and the world as an exceptional football coach,โ the statement read.
Onigbinde distinguished his glittering football coaching career as the first Nigerian coach to lead the Super Eagles to the biggest global football event, the FIFA World Cup in 2002 hosted by South Korea and Japan.
He was known for injecting youth into the national team, and is credited with introducing Vincent Enyeama into Eagles where he attained legendary status. He also led the national team to second place and silver medal at the 1984 AFCON tournament.
Aside coaching, the Modakeke high chief was one of the longest-serving Africans in the technical committees of both CAF and FIFA.
He was appointed instructor by CAf and FIFA in 1988 and 1994 respectively, and was a recurring member of their technical study groups for major tournaments.
On the home front, Chief Oniginde was Head of the NFF Technical Department, and later served as a member of its Technical Committee.
