By Ngwuoke Ngwuoke, with additional reports
No fewer than four Nigerians are known to have died on Wednesday while watching the semi final match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Cote D’Ivoire.
The tension soaked match stretched into a penalty shoot out which ended 4-2 in favour of the Nigerian side.
But it was a bitter victory for Nigeria as four persons could not live to celebrate it.
In Cote D’Ivoire,
Anambra-born billionaire, Chief Osondu Nwoye, reportedly passed away while watching the match.
Nwoye was said to be the wealthiest Igbo businessman based in Ivory Coast before his death.
Billionaire businessman, Obianna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, announced the death of his friend, Osondu, in a post via Instagram on Thursday.
Cubana questioned why such an unfortunate thing had to happen and mentioned that Wednesday’s match had taken away some good people.
Reports suggest that Nwosu was ecstatic and shouting loudly when Nigerian striker Victor Osihmen scored the second goal. Unfortunately, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) later cancelled the goal.
It was alleged that the shock of seeing the goal cancelled and a penalty awarded to South Africa was too much to bear for his fragile heart, leading to his collapse inside the stadium.
According to the report, he was immediately rushed to the hospital but all efforts to revive him failed as he was pronounced dead.
Here in Nigeria, the Deputy Bursar of Kwara State University Malete, Alhaji Ayuba Abdullahi, on Wednesday night, died while watching the semi-finals between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing AFCON.
Nigeria won the match against South Africa by 4-2 goals on penalties after regulation and extra time ended 1-1.
Reports say Abdullahi went to a sports centre in the Sango area before he started feeling uneasy.
One of the sources said, “The Deputy Bursar watched the Nigeria/South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, till it was time for a penalty kick.
“He complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest not knowing that his BP had gone up.
“On getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Sango and he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and before he could be attended to, he died.
Also, Cairo Ojougboh, a former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, died while watching the Eagles’ match..
A source close to the politician said, “Cairo Ojougboh, a medical doctor died during the Nigeria vs. South Africa match.
“The incident happened when the penalty was awarded against Nigeria. Dr Ojougboh was said to have shouted and slumped due to a massive heart attack when SA scored.
Another report says a member of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Adamawa State died during the penalty shootouts of the match between Nigeria and South Africa of Wednesday evening.
It was gathered Thursday morning that the youth corper, 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 on a social media post said: “We lost one Nigerian during our victory celebration over south Africa at our sports viewing center here in Numan.
“The corps member who is serving in Numan from Kaduna State fainted before the kick of the winning goal.”
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 shootout. He then bowed his head and all of a sudden, he collapsed.
”He was confirmed dead at the General Hospital in Numan by the doctor.”
(Additional reports from The Nation, The PUNCH: Text, News Express)
