The legendary former coach of the Super Eagles, High Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has passed away at the age of 88.
His family confirmed the news on Monday through a statement issued by Bolade Adesuyi, expressing “great gratitude to God for a life well spent” as they announced the departure of the “first indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach.”
The family’s message honored him as a “Modakeke High Chief” and a devoted family man, adding, “We thank God for the fulfilled life and your contributions to the Nigerian nation and the world as an unequalled football coach.”
Onigbinde’s storied career saw him lead the national team during two distinct eras, most notably during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
He first took charge of the then-Green Eagles between 1982 and 1984, a tenure highlighted by leading Nigeria to the final of the 1984 African Nations Cup, where the team eventually “lost 3–1 to Cameroon.”
He returned to the dugout in 2002 to replace the late Shuaibu Amodu.
Beyond his work on the touchline, Onigbinde was a respected global figure in the sport, serving as a technical instructor for both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.
The family noted that “final funeral arrangements would be communicated later” as the nation mourns one of its most significant sporting icons.
