Ogedegbe, one of the heroes of Nigeria’s first victory at the African Nations Cup, which the country hosted in 1980 and a member of the then IICC team that won the defunct African Cup Winners Cup in 1976, is lying in coma at the UCH, Ibadan, after an eye surgery.
Those who spoke with The Guardian after visiting Ogedegbe in hospital yesterday described his condition ‘as the same’. “The doctors have just told us to go and pray for his survival,” says the Technical Committee Chairman of the NFF, Taiwo Ogunjobi.
Ogunjobi, who played alongside Ogedegbe in the then IICC, said that though his condition was ‘very bad’, if Nigerians prayed for him, God could come to the rescue.
He said: “He is still in coma but I still believe God will perform his miracle and save him. But I must confess that I am really frightened. I just left the hospital now and I will return later in the evening to see him. Please join us in prayers to save the life of Ogedegbe,” he stated.
On the possibility of flying Ogedegbe abroad for further treatment, Ogunjobi said: “As it is now, it will be difficult to do that because the condition has not improved at all. We will do that if the doctors give us the go-ahead to do that. Ogedegbe is so dear to us and the NFF will do everything to save his life. For now, we can only pray for his condition to improve,” Ogunjobi stated.
General Manager of 3SC, Mutiu Adepoju, who was among those at the UCH yesterday, also described the condition of the ex-Green Eagles’ goalie as terrible. “He is still in the Intensive Care Unit and his condition has not improved”. Like Ogunjobi, Adepoju equally called on Nigerians to join hands in prayer to save the life of the retired goalkeeper.
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