5th January, 2011
With less than a week into the New Year, Nigerian sports was again struck with the tragic death of former Commonwealth Games Heavyweight Champion, Samuel Dada a.k.a Captain Killer, who died of brain tumor last night at the age of 63.
Family source told P.M. Sports early today that the late Captain Killer, who has been at the LASUTH, Ikeja since 23 December, 2010, died at exactly 11:45pm yesterday.
His death came barely three weeks after a wrestler, Ifeanyi Nnatuanya, aka Lion Man died shortly after a fight at the National stadium in Lagos.
Bisi Olanrewaju, brother of Dada, the former Nigerian heavyweight champion revealed that the family was not aware that the late wrestler had brain tumor until he was taken to the hospital when he slumped in his Lagos home last Thursday.
“We did not know that Captain Killer had a brain tumor until he was admitted at the LASUTH on 23 December after he slumped at home. The children took great care of him, but he passed on last night at 11:45p.m,†said Olanrewaju amidst tears.
He revealed that Captain Killer, a senior lecturer at the National Institute of Sports, NIS, Lagos, Nigeria, was survived by two children and his wife, Funmilayo.
Reacting to the death of the retired Nigerian Air Force captain, Alhaji Hammed Mohammed a.k.a Prince H.O said Nigerian sports has lost a great wrestler who spent his life to see that wrestling was not relegated to the background in the country.
“His death was a great loss to Nigerian wrestling. After Captain Killer retired from acting wrestling, he spent his lifetime to develop the game. He was number one Match Commissioner in any tournament we organised. He also impacted his experience on young wrestlers as a senior lecturer at the NIS. We will miss him,†said Prince H.O, who is the Coordinator of the BRF Wrestlemania, an Intercontinental Championship being organised to honour Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State.
However, family sources disclosed that the late Captain Killer would be buried at his home town, Omu Aran in Kwara State, Nigeria soon. “The family needs to deliberate on his burial arrangements, for now, we are in mourning mood,” his brother said.
— Taiwo Adelu
