Former U16 World Cup Winner, Binaebi Numa, Battling for Life

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Binaebi Carlos Numa, a member of the inaugural FIFA U16 World Cup winning Golden Eaglets, needs urgent help to for him to overcome a debilitating health condition that has affected his daily life.

The Bayelsa-born former footballer who played in the Nigerian topflight league before joining Borussia Neukirchen in Germany, has been battling with Parkinson’s disease for couple of years now but now needs urgent treatment abroad.

According to his younger brother, Mr. Ebbyzymore Numa, who spoke with THISDAY yesterday, Carlos, as the former player was fondly called, needs the treatment by specialist neurosurgeons.

“My brother’s condition has overwhelmed the capacities of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa and the Neurology Clinic at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).  The neurologists that are handling his case have delivered an unequivocal verdict of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery overseas as the only lifeline to help him recover from the constant trembling of his limbs and impaired speech,” observed the younger Numa.

He stressed that such advanced neurosurgical intervention, regrettably, is unavailable within Nigeria.

While appealing to compassionate Nigerians for support, Numa called on the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Football Federation and the Bayelsa State Government, to rally behind this hero of the 1985  cadet World Cup in China.

Although an unofficial source in Yenagoa  hinted last night that support had earlier been extended to the ailing former footballer by the Bayelsa State Government.

Binaebi Numa was the Team Manager when Bayelsa Queens and Bayelsa United won the Aiteo Cups in Benin City in 2021.

A distinguished son of Ezetu, South Ijaw, and Ayamasa Federated Communities in Bayelsa State, the junior Numa believes that his brother can still regain his speech and use of his limbs if flown abroad urgently for the treatment to commence.

“We know that the cost of surgery, implantation, international travel, and post-operative rehabilitation is substantial, Nigerians who have helped some other ex internationals in the past to return to full health can also do it for my brother,” concludes the junior Numa last night.