By Kunle Solaja
The remains of former footballer and administrator, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, will be laid to rest this week in Ibadan. He died on February 11, which coincidentally was the 35th anniversary of his only international match for Nigeria.
In that 1984 Olympic Games qualifying match with Morocco, the score line was 0-0. But the late Ogunjobi had played at other levels for Nigeria. The most famous was the 5-1 defeat of Ghana Academicals in 1974.
Ogunjobi was the hero for the Nigeria Academicals, as he scored three of Nigeria’s five goals. He came from a family noted for twins, as he was just a member of two sets of twins.
An older Taiwo Ogunjobi, an athlete and soldier, was one of the victims of the 1990 plane crash in which a generation of army majors were killed.
Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi played for the then IICC Shooting Stars, which he captained to the final of the 1984 Africa Cup of Champions Club duel with Zamalek of Egypt.
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Even though he was a non-playing captain at the return leg in Lagos, he was famously recorded as the IICC player that snatched a Nigerian flag from a Zamalek player during the pre-match ceremonies.
Ogunjobi, later as General Manager, led the Shooting Stars to win the inaugural edition of the now rested CAF Cup, which trophy was donated by Bashorun MKO Abiola.
He possibly used his success, as administrator as launch pad to higher terrain, as he was appointed the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Association in 2002.
He held on to the position till 2005 before becoming board member from 2006 to 2010. He was the chairman of Osun State FA till he passed on last month.
According to family sources, Ogunjobi was to take bed rest at the University College Hospital in Ibadan for an undisclosed illness. The bed rest has turned to an eternal rest.
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His burial ceremony is planned to span almost a week. It will feature a symposium and U-13 football match as well a club match, featuring his former club, Shooting Stars, and the later club he administered, as the Osun State FA boss, the Osun United.
Those events slated for Wednesday, are put together by the Western Nigeria Football Forum being marshalled by the NFF senior vice president, Seyi Akinwunmi.
On Thursday, another football match is on the card. It will feature a Whatsapp discussion group, “Family United by Sports” – FUBS – and Ibadan All Stars – an assembly of retired footballers.
The body of Chief Ogunjobi will be committed to earth on Friday, March 15
