The Nigerian Football Federation, Nigeria Premier Football League, Edo Sports Commission, and prominent coaches in the country have expressed heartfelt condolences for the late U-17 World Cup-winning coach, Sebastian Brodericks-Imasuen, as reported by The PUNCH.
Brodericks-Imasuen, aged 85, passed away on Wednesday in Benin City, Edo State, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for stroke and diabetes. The seasoned coach had led the Eaglets to notable achievements, including winning the U-17 World Cup in 1985, and guiding them to the final and quarter-finals in 1987 and 1989, respectively.
Fred Erhunmwunse, the Chairman of Edo FA, confirmed Brodericks-Imasuen’s demise, stating that his body had been taken to the morgue at the Airforce Military Hospital in Benin.
In January 2023, it was reported that Brodericks-Imasuen had been diagnosed with ischemic stroke the previous December and had been undergoing treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot obstructs or narrows an artery leading to the brain.
Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League, expressed sorrow over the loss, acknowledging Brodericks-Imasuen as an iconic figure in youth and club football coaching. Elegbeleye highlighted the late coach’s significant role in popularizing youth football in Nigeria and his contribution to heightening interest in the professional football league during his career, where he had notable rivalries with other top club coaches such as Willy Bazuaye, James Peters, and Charles Bassey.