Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has expressed his shocks over the death of Chief Osayuki Jackson Obaseki, which occurred on Sunday morning.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, the governor was quoted as saying, “Chief Oyuki’s passing is a personal loss to me. He was a very generous leader who took delight in sharing his knowledge and experience for the good of society.
“He was a rallying point for the Obaseki family, a respected Benin Chief and a great sports administrator. He served as Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League and was 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation. He will be sorely missed.
“I pray that the Almighty God grants his soul repose until we meet to part no more on Resurrection Morning,” observed the governor.
Also yesterday, the League Management Company (LMC) said that it has received with sadness the demise of Chief Obaseki.
Chairman of the LMC, Shehu Dikko described the death of Chief Obaseki as another loss for football in the country and noted that “he would be missed by many in league clubs management”
“The report of the passing on of Chief Obaseki has saddened us in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) especially because he was someone who played a key role in the process that led to the evolvement and sustenance of independent administration for Professional League football in our country”.
Dikko recalled his time working with late Obaseki during the reform of the league and it’s sponsorship structure between 2005-2006 which led to the huge title rights sale.
The LMC Chairman extended his condolence and that of the 20 NPFL clubs to the Obaseki family, noting that, “Chief was a father figure not just to his immediate biological family but to all of us in football”.
The football administrator who was known with the alias Moving Train, was Chairman of the Premier League, and automatically the 2nd Vice President of the NFF during the presidency of Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi from 2006-2010.
Obaseki reportedly died on Sunday, August 18 at the age of 75. A Benin High Chief before his death, his last birthday was celebrated in July.
