As the nation celebrates the victory of the national team, the Super Eagles, over the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, for the ticket to the final of the 2023 continental football, AFCON, at least five families are mourning the death of their loved ones who died while watching the tensioned-packed match.
According to reports, a former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Cairo Ojougboh, died while watching the match.
A family source said Ojougboh died as the South Africans were about to take a penalty kick against Nigeria in the 88th minute of the game.
He was said to have shouted and slumped when the Bafana Bafana scored.
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“He was said to be watching the live match yesterday. When a penalty was awarded against Nigeria, Dr. Ojougboh was reported to have screamed, and then collapsed,” a source said.
Tragedy also struck in Kwara where the Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University, Malete, Alhaji Ayuba Olaitan Abdullahi, reportedly died while watching the semifinal match between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing AFCON competition.
“The deputy Bursar watched the Nigeria Vs South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time. When it was time for the penalty kicks, he complained that he was feeling dizzy and needed to go back home and rest.
“But on getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a local private hospital in the area. He was however referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).
“However, he died before he could be attended to”, the source said, adding that he was buried on Thursday morning according to Islamic rites.
The Director of Information, KWASU, Dr Saedat Aliyu, confirmed his death but added that the cause was yet to be ascertained by the management of the university.
In another similar incident, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Adamawa State died during the penalty shootouts in the match between Nigeria and South Africa on Wednesday evening.
It was gathered on Thursday morning that the corps member, identified only as Samuel from Kaduna State, died just before the last kick that ensured Nigeria’s victory in the match.
A witness, who gave an account of the incident in a social media post, said: “We lost one Nigerian during our victory celebration over South Africa at our sports viewing centre here in Numan.
“The corps member, who is serving in Numan from Kaduna State, fainted before the penalty kick of the winning goal.
“He died before they could reach the hospital in Numan. May his soul rest in peace.”
The NYSC Coordinator in Adamawa State, Jingi Dennis, said he was awaiting details of the incident.
He said in an interview with Daily Trust on Thursday morning: “I received the news of his death last night. I hope to have more details today.
“According to his colleagues who went with him to watch the match, the late corps member told the people around him that he did not like watching penalty shootouts. He then bowed his head and all of a sudden, he collapsed.
“He was confirmed dead at the General Hospital in Numan by a doctor.”
Similarly, in Abeokuta, a 43-year-old man, Mikail Osundiji, was also reported to have died while watching the semi-final football match between Nigeria and South Africa.
It was gathered that Osundiji went into shock and died on Wednesday evening while watching the match at a football viewing centre in the Olomoore area of Abeokuta.
The father of two reportedly died when the central referee cancelled Nigeria’s second goal against South Africa scored by Victor Osimhen.
An elder sister to the deceased, Mrs Adetunji Nofisat, explained that Osundiji suddenly breathed out heavily after the cancellation of Nigeria’s second goal, lowered his head and then fell to the ground at the football viewing centre.
“That was when other people at the centre rushed to him and took him to one of the private hospitals in Olomoore before the doctor on duty pronounced him dead,” she said.
Nofisat said the remains of the deceased had been buried on Thursday afternoon according to Islamic rites.
In yet another tragedy following the match, a Nigerian businessman based in Cote D’Ivoire, Chief Osondu Nwoye, on Wednesday night died while watching the Super Eagles AFCON semi-final clash against the South African national team.
Chief Osondu’s death was disclosed in a Facebook post uploaded by a user, Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, who said the businessman, from Anambra State, in Nigeria’s southeast, collapsed inside the stadium after the Super Eagles’ second goal was cancelled by referees.
But all efforts to rescue him proved abortive as he was later pronounced dead by the hospital.
The post reads: “By this time yesterday, High Chief Osondu was still alive, hale and hearty.
“He travelled to Bourke, the city that hosted the Super Eagles match yesterday, to watch his darling Super Eagles play.
“He loves football and is patriotic for his home country. According to eyewitnesses, the high chief was on top of the moon, shouting at the top of his voice, when Victor Osimhen scored that second goal, which was later cancelled by VAR.
“Maybe the shock of seeing the goal cancelled and penalty awarded to South Africa was too much to bear for his fragile heart, which failed immediately, which resulted in the high chief collapsing inside the stadium.
“All the efforts to revive him failed, as he was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Tinubu, Akpabio mourn Ojougboh’s death
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio have sent messages of condolence to the family of Dr Cairo Ojougboh, a former member of the House of Representatives.
In a statement, Tinubu said he received the news of the passing of Ojougboh, a former Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with a heavy heart.
The president, in a statement by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, condoled with the Ojougboh family and the government and people of Delta State over what he called “the tragic loss”.
While praying for the peaceful repose of the departed, President Tinubu comforted his family, urging them to find strength and hope in God Almighty who presides over the affairs of men, as well as in the cherished memories and legacy of the late APC chieftain.
In his message, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described the sudden death of Ojougboh, as shocking and a huge loss to the people of the Niger Delta Region and the entire country.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted the Senate president as saying, “The late Ojougboh as a member of the House of Representatives, contributed in no small way, his quota to the development of his people as their representative from 2003 -2007.
“He was the true voice of the people of Agbor, who ensured they were seen and heard in the national scheme of things.”
Cardiac arrest responsible
Dr Uche Ewelike, a public health physician, said football is an emotional thing and most emotional things have cardiac effect.
“So what happened to these people is that tension made their hearts to beat faster than normal, and they had heart failure.
“So, they were mainly cardiac arrests; it is not any other thing apart from that. If you check well, you will see that most of the persons who died may have had a history of hypertension.
“When you already have hypertension, your heart is already weak. Putting the heart under tension will allow the heart to beat faster than normal because tension exposes the heart to cardiac arrest.”
He advised people who are hypertensive to take their drugs before watching matches.
He said another way of relieving the tension (because people will still watch the match against Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday, is to “have a regular conversation when you are watching matches and not alone.
“When you converse with people, it reduces tension. It is the tension and fear that makes the heart to beat faster than normal.”
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