Ex-Super Eagles coach, Amodu Shuaibu, died out of “frustration” and hardship according to his cousin, Akuri Afegbua.
Amodu, 58, who was technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), died on Saturday morning in his residence in Benin City, Edo State.
The father of eight from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state was the executive director of the Edo State Youth Football Development Agency before he resigned last year.
Afegbua revealed that Amodu’s shocking demise could be directly linked to his current financial ordeal after both the NFF and the state government failed to pay him.
He disclosed that Shuaibu had travelled to Benin to demand the payment of his outstanding entitlements before he passed away.
“I think he died of frustration, his financial status,” Afegbua was quoted as telling Punch.
“He was not paid. He was complaining of not being paid and had no money to maintain himself and his immediate family.
“I think the purpose of him being in Benin was to put in a bill for his payment, both NFF and the state government.”
Afegbua added that apart from the financial challenge, his brother was perfect with minor pains in the chest.
“Apart from that he complained of pain in his chest, he was perfectly ok,” he affirmed.
“We came back this morning to wake up to do the normal fasting but met him dead.”
Another cousin of the deceased, Kassim Afegbua, confirmed that the former BCC Lions coach was hypertensive prior to his death.
Afegbua, who is the commissioner for information in Edo said, “He was actually a BP (high blood pressure) patient and his BP last (Friday) night when the doctor checked was 140/100. The doctor only warned him to stop fasting.
“After the prayers, he went to bed but asked that he should be wakened up at 4 am to prepare for the fasting.
“It was around 4 a.m. when they tried to wake him to prepare for the fasting that they saw him dead. That was all. He didn’t wake up.”
