The Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has described the death of former national team coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, as a monumental loss, saying the deceased represented an era of discipline, courage and football intelligence.
Shaibu, who visited the former CAF and FIFA Instructor in his Modakeke country home in Osun State last month, said Chief Onigbinde was a pillar in the foundation of Nigerian football and has left his footprints in the sand of time, leaving l behind a legacy for other coaches or would-be coaches to follow.
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“It is with a mixed feeling that I learned about the passing on to glory of Coach Adegboye Onigbinde, the first indigenous coach of the Super Eagles.
“On the one hand, a feeling of gratitude to God for a life well spent, leaving your footprint on the sand of time. On the other hand, a sad feeling that we were not able to fully tap into you or honour you as we discussed.
”I recall on February 9, 2026, when I led the National Institute for Sports (NIS) delegation on a courtesy visit to the late tactician at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.
“I saw ‘a pillar in the foundation of Nigerian football’, and I stressed that honouring sports legends while they are still alive is a core responsibility of institutions charged with sports development.
”Coach Onigbinde represents an era of discipline, courage, and football intelligence. At the National Institute for Sports, we believe that our legends must be celebrated, respected, and preserved as national treasures, while we also draw on their experience and wisdom in navigating our core mandate. Unfortunately, and as a natural course, he is no longer with us.
”Coach Onigbinde has made his mark and leaves behind a legacy for other coaches or would-be coaches to follow. Nigeria will miss his wealth of experience.
”We pray that God Almighty grants his Soul eternal rest and gives his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Rest in peace, Coach Adegboye Onigbinde,” Shaibu said.
Born on March 5, 1938, Onigbinde, a Modakeke High Chief, took the then Green Eagles to the final of the 1984 AFCON, losing to Cameroon and led the Nigeria national team to the 2002 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by Korea and Japan.
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