The Nigerian Football Federation, Nigeria Premier Football League, Edo Sports Commission and top coaches in the country have paid glowing tributes to U-17 World Cup-winning coach, Sebastian Brodericks-Imasuen, who died on Wednesday in Benin City, Edo State, The PUNCH reports.
The 85-year-old, who also led the Eaglets to the final and quarter-finals of the U-17 World Cup in 1987 and 1989 respectively, died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital — in the early hours of Wednesday — where he was undergoing treatment for stroke and diabetes, according to his family.
The Edo FA Chairman, Fred Erhunmwunse, confirmed the death of Brodericks-Imasuen to our correspondent on Wednesday.
“Yes, Brodericks-Imasuen is indeed dead,” Erhunmwunse told our correspondent.
“His body has been taken to the morgue at Airforce Military Hospital in Benin.”
In January 2023, The PUNCH reported that Brodericks-Imasuen had been diagnosed with Ischemic stroke since December 2022 and had been receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain. The blood clot often forms in arteries damaged by the buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis).
Reacting to the coach’s death, the Nigeria Premier Football League chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the country had lost an icon of youth and club football coaching.
“Sebastian Brodericks-Imasuen was a coach who made youth football popular in Nigeria and at some point in his career, he was one of those that heightened interest in the professional football league with a running rivalry with some other top club coaches like Willy Bazuaye, James Peters, Charles Bassey to mention a few.
