A 43-year-old man named Mikail Osundiji has reportedly passed away while watching the AFCON semi-final football match between Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa.
Osundiji joins the list of casualties who passed away while watching the AFCON semi-finals, following the news of the death of former Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Cairo Ojougboon on Thursday.
It was reported that Osundiji experienced shock and passed away on Wednesday evening in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while watching the match at a public football viewing center in the Olomoore area of the state capital.
The father of two reportedly succumbed to his demise when the central referee annulled Nigeria’s second goal against South Africa, scored by Victor Osimhen.
According to relatives, the deceased showed no signs of illness prior to his passing.
Mrs. Adetunji Nofisat, the elder sister of the deceased, recounted that Osundiji suddenly exhaled heavily after the disallowance of Nigeria’s second goal, bowed his head, and subsequently collapsed at the football viewing center.
“That was when other people at the football viewing centre rushed to him and took him to one of the private hospitals in Olomoore before the doctor on duty pronounced him dead”, the deceased’s sister said.
Nofisat however, disclosed that the remains of the deceased had been buried on Thursday afternoon according to the Islamic rites.
“We cannot take his corpse to his hometown, Okuku in Osun State because he still has a father, mother and two children who are 12 and seven years of age”, she said.
Nofisat urged the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, to provide support to the family, especially by offering scholarships to ensure that the children left behind can pursue their education all the way to university level.