My father fought hard to stay alive — Onigbinde’s son

Oyekunle Onigbinde, the last child of former Super Eagles coach Festus Onigbinde, says his father battled strongly to stay alive despite illness before his death.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Tuesday, Oyekunle said the late football tactician’s passing on Monday came as a shock to the family.

“He fought well to stay alive. He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery,” he said.

He described his father as a generous and accommodating person who always sought to unite people regardless of their background.

“My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together. He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united. He was the string that knitted many together,” Oyekunle added.

Meanwhile, renowned sports analyst Tayo Balogun said a 40-minute phone conversation he had with Onigbinde in 2025 would remain memorable.

Balogun recalled thanking the former coach for his dedication, foresight and immense contributions to Nigerian football.

“We went down memory lane, and I thanked him for being who he was—painstaking, foresighted, forthright, forthcoming and incredibly hardworking,” he said.

He noted that during the conversation, Onigbinde’s voice sounded weaker, which the coach attributed to old age.

Balogun also praised the late tactician’s impact on Shooting Stars Sports Club, noting that he was responsible for changing the team’s name from IICC Shooting Stars.

According to him, Onigbinde once explained why he continued practising penalty kicks even after his team defeated Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaounde 4–0 at the Liberty Stadium ahead of the return leg.

“He said if we could beat them 4–0 in Ibadan, they might pay us back in Yaounde,” Balogun recalled.

The analyst also commended Onigbinde’s courage in selecting players for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, although the coach later admitted that not playing Mutiu Adepoju during the tournament was a mistake.

Balogun described Onigbinde as one of the most thorough Nigerian coaches, noting that despite limited resources, he achieved remarkable results with both Shooting Stars and the national team.

He also highlighted the coach’s historic victory over the Ghana national football team, when a relatively inexperienced Nigerian side defeated the then-feared Black Stars in Ghana.

“Onigbinde’s memory will remain indelible. He was a gentleman, humble and highly intelligent. I am glad I got to know you, sir,” Balogun said.