The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed shock over the death of a former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League and second Vice President of the NFF, Chief Oyuki Jackson Obaseki.
The 75 –year old breathed his last yesterday in Benin City, having left his giant footprints in the sands of time with his extensive work, passion and vision to take Nigeria League’s elite division to new heights. He was pioneer chairman of the body known as Interim Management Committee, which was inaugurated in February 2005, and which transmuted to the Nigeria Premier League the following year.
“A truly big tree has fallen. We remember very much the work that Chief Obaseki did to promote and project the elite division of the Nigeria League during his time as chairman. It was difficult to match his passion and energy as he pursued his vision for an independent League body.
“We worked together at some point during the early days of the efforts to reposition the Nigeria Premier League. He took everything that needed to be done as a project and drove everyone else around him hard to play their own roles appropriately,” NFF’s Acting President, Seyi Akinwunmi said on Sunday.
AIPS Vice President, Mitchell Obi described the former NPL chairman as a leader “who passionately gave himself to the beautiful game all round and no doubt a pace setter in pushing ahead professional league football in Nigeria.”
Obaseki, known with the alias Moving Train, was also the Ohe of Bini Kingdom – a very high–ranking position in one of the oldest Kingdoms in the universe.
As Chairman of the Premier League, Obaseki was automatically the second Vice President of the NFF during the presidency of Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi – 2006-2010.
Not yet a Bet9ja Member? Sign up today and get your 100% Welcome Bonus, the biggest welcome offer in Nigeria. https://register.bet9ja.com/?promocode=BBNBLOG
Source: (Guardian.ng)