Sunday Bada
Former Nigerian star athlete, Sunday Bada is to be interred on December 30 at his home town, Ogidi, in Kogi State.
According to police authority, the former Sydney Olympic 4x400m silver medallist who died in Lagos on December 12, is to be given full police burial rites as an officer who died in active service.
President of the Nigerian Olympian Association, (NOA), Prince Henry Amike who confirmed the new dates to THISDAY after the burial committee meeting in Abuja Wednesday, said that before Bada’s burial in Kogi State, past and present athletes are going to honour the fallen star at the Sportscity in Surulere, Lagos.
“According to the burial programme, there will be a Service of Song at the Police College, Ikeja on December 28. The next day, December 29, there will be a lying-in-state at the National Stadium in Lagos, where present and past athletes will pay their last respect to Bada before his remains leave for his home town, Ogidi in Kogi State,” said the president of the Olympians.
Amike further admitted that there is going to be a mini-race at the Sport-city where the fourth lane would be left vacant in memory of the most accomplished Nigerian male quarter-miler.
Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is planning to immortalise late technical director of the federation.
The AFN board which met in Delta State this week on how to honour the late technical director of the federation is planning a number of activities in the New Year to keep Bada’s memory alive forever.
President of AFN, Solomon Ogba said during the week that Bada’s death remains a shock for every at the federation. “We will do everything to honour him.”
More tributes continued to pour in for the former World Indoor Champion.