The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed sadness over the death of Charles Bassey, a member of Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winning side.
Bassey died on Saturday, aged 71, following a long illness in his birthplace of Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
Dr Mohammed Sanusi, NFF General Secretary, announced this in a statement on Monday.
His demise came just hours after the captain of that triumphant Green Eagles squad, Christian Chukwu, affectionately known as ‘Chairman’, died in Enugu.
“This has been a day of double tragedy, and the NFF and the entire Nigerian football fraternity are deeply saddened by the turn of events. We lost ‘Chairman’ Chukwu earlier in the day; now, we have to mourn Charles Bassey. May God Almighty grant their souls eternal rest,” said NFF General Secretary, Sanusi.
Bassey was one of the 22 players who made history for Nigeria on March 22, 1980, when the Green Eagles overcame Algeria 3-0 at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, to win the country’s first-ever AFCON title.
After retiring from playing, Bassey went on to coach and manage many Nigerian clubs, including Calabar Rovers, Mobil Pegasus (his hometown team), BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, Akwa United, and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.
With his passing, he became the eighth member of the 1980 squad to die.
Other players include goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong; defenders Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima, and Tunde Bamidele; midfielders Aloysius Atuegbu and Mudashiru Lawal; and striker Martins Eyo.
