Mikail Osundiji, a 43-year-old sales representative, died while watching Nigeria’s semi-final football match against the Republic of South Africa in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
While watching the match at a public football viewing centre in Abeokuta’s Olomoore area, Osundiji was alleged to have gone into panic mode, experienced shock, and died.
He died just after the referee cancelled Nigeria’s second goal by Victor Osimhen against South Africa.
His family said the Osundiji did not show any sign of sickness before his death.
A relation of the deceased, Adetunji Nofisat, explained that Osundiji suddenly breathed out heavily after the cancellation of Nigeria’s second goal, lowered his head and subsequently fell flat at the football viewing centre.
“That was when other people at the football viewing center 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 also said he has since been buried on Thursday, 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 7 years of age”, she said.
Osundiji’s death follows a list of casualties from the Nigeria/South Africa match. A Corps member in Adamawa State; Alhaji Ayuba Olaitan Abdullahi, deputy Bursar of Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete; Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, former Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) all died in similar circumstances in the tension-laden match Nigeria won by 4 goals to 2 on penalties.