28th April, 2011
Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Samson Siasia could not control his emotion when he saw the remains of his former player, the late Adefemi Olubayo, as he wept bitterly at the lying-in state of the ex-international at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria early today.
The corpse of the late Olubayo arrived the Sports City at exactly 10:15a.m with a lot of soccer enthusiats waiting to see the former Eagles’ defender, who died in an auto crash in Greece.
Siasia and Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu, wept as they lined up to see the remains of their ex-player. Olubayo’s former teammate at the Olympics, Yinka Adedeji, also wept profusely.
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF 1st Vice President, Mike Umeh, who led the Glass House’s delegation to the burial said that Nigerian football will forever remember Olubayo, who contributed his quota as a player with his commitment to the service of the nation.
Adedeji said: “this is a sad moment for me because Olubayo was a good friend of mine. I will miss him dearly.”
Secretary of the Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria, APFON, Austin Popo, described Olubayo as a dedicated player who will be missed by Nigerian football.
A funeral service was conducted for the fallen football star at the Atan Cemetery in Yaba area of Lagos State after which his body was later committed to mother earth at a private spot within the cemetery.
— Sunday Akintoye