WorldStage– President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the family of Henry Onyemanze Nwosu, a legendary Super Eagles midfielder who passed away on Saturday at the age of 62.
Nwosu was confirmed dead after a protracted illness.
The news of Nwosu’s death was contained in a message by one of his close associates and former national team teammate, Olusegun Odegbami.
Odegbami, who had been in close contact with the mercurial midfielder during his illness, confirmed that Nwosu died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
Nwosu died while the nation is still mourning the death of his mentor, Adegboye Onigbinde, whom he served as an assistant with the Super Eagles at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Odegbami wrote: “After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4 a.m. this morning.
“He died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in intensive care since Wednesday.
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the bearer of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu, MON.
“May he rest peacefully with our Creator in heaven.”
President Tinubu joined the Nigerian football community in mourning the exceptionally skilled Nwosu, whose football artistry remains the stuff of legends.
The President recalled Nwosu’s brilliance on the field of play as a 17-year-old in the then-Green Eagles squad that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
President Tinubu acknowledged Nwosu’s over a decade of service to the nation as a member of the national football team, his role in subsequent AFCON tournaments in 1982, 1984, and 1988, and his contributions to sports development in the country.
The President stated that Nigerians will always remember the late playmaker for the pride and joy he brought to the nation and for inspiring many compatriots to greater accomplishments.
President Tinubu prayed for the repose of Nwosu’s soul and comfort for his family.
Nwosu, hailed from Imo, was a member of the glorious Green Eagles team that conquered Africa to win the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Odegbami.
Nwosu was one of the youngest players in the 1980 squad that won the AFCON, as he was just 20 years old at the time.
He went on to represent Nigeria at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, where he scored Nigeria’s only goal at the tournament.
He also earned 80 caps for the national team over an 11-year period from 1980 to 1991.
At the club level, Nwosu began his football career with New Nigerian Bank (NNB) FC of Benin from 1979 to 1985.
He later joined ACB of Lagos in 1985 and also played for ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire and Racing Club de Bafoussam of Cameroon between 1990 and 1992.
He later returned to Nigeria to play again for ACB of Lagos in 1992, where he eventually hung up his boots.
During his coaching career, Nwosu handled the National U-17 team and clubs such as Ibom Stars, Union Bank, and, most recently, Gateway FC of Abeokuta.
He also served as an assistant to his former teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Nigeria won the silver medal.
