NPFL Players to wear Black armband for Ogunjobi as LMC Mourns his passing

The League Management Company (LMC) has described the death of Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi as a huge loss to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the larger football family in the country.

In a tribute to the late football administrator, Shehu Dikko, the LMC Chairman said he had difficulties coming to terms with the news of Ogunjobi’s passing and described him as someone who has played a big role in the nation’s football as a player and an administrator.

Ogunjobi, a former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Secretary General was reported dead on Monday morning in Ibadan. He played for the then IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan, now Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), captaining the team to the finals of the 1984 Africa Champions League which was won by Egypt’s Zamalek FC.

In the words of Dikko, “Chief Ogunjobi is one of the heroes of League football in Nigeria having captained IICC, a traditional club in our league system that stands today as an institution. He also later led the club as an administrator to the CAF Champions League finals before rising to the pinnacle of football administration in the country as Secretary General of the NFF”.

The LMC Chairman also announced that in honour of the fallen football hero, a minute silence would be observed before kick-off at all NPFL Match Day 9 fixtures on Wednesday while players and Coaches are also to wear black armbands as a mark of respect for the dead.

“Ogunjobi in his life time was very passionate about football and while as Osun State FA Chairman, his state did not have a club participating in the NPFL, we always counted on him as one of the sound and effective Match Commissioners. There were hardly any issues in matches he commissioned and we would miss those stabilizing effect he brought to league match venues”, Dikko added.

The LMC Chairman described the late Ogunjobi as a personal friend and colleague having worked with him on the FIFA Goal Project.

Lamenting the sad development, Dikko said, “0n a personal note, this is a huge loss to me as I worked closely with Cheif Ogunjobi when he was the General Secretary of the NFF and I was the Project Manager of the FIFA Goal Project in Nigeria in 2004. I leant quite a lot from my close association with Cheif Ogunjobi which helped shape a lot of my future endavours in football administration. Ogunjobi will forever remain dear”.

Dikko extended condolences to Mr. Lanre Ogunjobi, a member of the Ogunjobi family, “who is also one of our trusted and hardworking staff at the LMC… we stand with him in this moment of grief”.