Laliga ambassador and ex- Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju, has described the demise of former Super Eagles defender, Ajibade Babalade, as shocking and a great loss to Nigerian sports following reports that Babalade, 48, died of cardiac arrest on Friday in Ibadan as he was described as a disciplined professional who gave his all to Nigerian football in his playing days and even after retirement.
Speaking to sports247.ng, Adepoju lamented the shock loss of his colleague as it was a hard pill to take for him and those around him, “he was a very dedicated and professional player who gave his all to the service of the fatherland, which earned him the nickname ‘Kunde’ because he was a strong hard-tackling, no-nonsense defender.”
The deceased was part of the Super Eagles team which finished in third-place at the 1992 African Nations Cup in Senegal, with Adepoju also a member of the team and also helped the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan reach the final of the CAF Champions League in 1996.
