World football governing body, FIFA, has joined Nigerians to mourn ex-Super Falcons player Ajuma Otache.
Otache passed away on Saturday aged just 33.
The ex-midfielder was an integral member of the national side from the millennium’s turn and successfully climbed into management after retirement.
Until her sudden death, Otache was assistant coach of the female U17 side – the Flamingoes.
In a letter personally signed by him and addressed to the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick, FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed “deepest sympathy on hearing of the news of the sudden passing of former Nigeria women’s national team player Ajuma Ameh-Otache, one of Nigeria’s most successful women international.”
Mr Infantino further revealed that “throughout her career, she played for Nigeria at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and also won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations the same year in South Africa. She also played for The Super Falcons at the 2003 All Africa Games in Abuja.
“On behalf of the members of the international football community, I should be grateful if you could extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We would hope that, in some way, our words of support may help bring a little bit of peace and solace in this time of sadness.”
