Former Super Eagles and Shooting Stars Sports Club defender Ajibade Babalade died yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after suffering cardiac arrest.
THISDAY learnt that Kunde, as he was popularly called in his playing days died while being rushed to the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Babalade started his professional career at Stationery Stores of Lagos in 1990, before several stints at 3SC, helping the Oluyole Warriors reach the final of the CAF Champions in League in 1996.
In a telephone chat with former Julius Berger safe hand, Christian Obi, he regreted that another of their own who served Nigeria meritoriously had passed away.
“I cannot forget in a hurry some of our confrontations while he was playing for Shooting Stars, he was always rock solid at the back,” Obi recalled. He played professionally abroad at Ivoirian side, African Sports, Anyang LG Cheetahs (Korea), SK Sturm Graz (Austria) and Indian club Mohun Bagan AC.
On October 17, 2008 Babalade was named as manager of the Shooting Stars FC.
He is survived by a wife and three kids, who are all based in the US.
