It is no longer news that former international, Etim John Esin, is critically ill and crying for help from all quarters.
Esin’s cry might be over a recurring knee ligament injury he suffered during his active days in the national team.
He was a phenomenon who meritoriously served both the junior and senior national teams. He was a rare gem in his playing days for the Flying Eagles and Super Eagles. Esin, together with Stephen Keshi, opened the flood gate for Nigerian professional footballers to showcase their talents in Europe in the 1980’s. Esin has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to intervene by footing his medical bills either here in Nigeria or abroad.
The grim situation is one of the countless stories of abandoned ex-internationals all over the country. Many of them have passed on to the world beyond. Etim Esin must not die. Sad to say, many ex-footballers, who had done Nigeria proud in many local and international matches, have died young in circumstances that suggest that they had no access to quality medicare or due to poverty or sheer negligence.
For instance, the nation woke up one morning to hear that former dangling striker and two-time African Footballer of the Year, Rashidi Yekini, who, in fact, scored the first Nigeria’s goal at the 1994 World Cup, was dead. On the day Rashidi died, he allegedly woke up hale and hearty only to die later in the day in strange circumstances that warranted, and still warrant police investigations.
We wish to recall that on 25 May, 2008, ex-Rangers International and Super Eagles striker, Aloysius Atuegbu, whose powerful shots at goals earned him the sobriquet “Block Buster”, suddenly died. On 4 December, 2008, ex-Super Eagles mid-fielder, Haruna Ilerika, reportedly died of a liver problem. On 28 September, 2009, ex-IICC/ Shooting Stars and Super Eagles goalkeeper, Best Ogedengbe, died after being in a coma for one week as a result of an eye surgery, as reported in the media.
And on 6 June, 2016, ex-Super Eagles captain and coach, Stephen Keshi, who captained the Super Eagles in the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., allegedly died of cardiac arrest en route to hospital. Prior to Keshi’s death, Super Eagles and IICC/ Shooting Stars of Ibadan midfield maestro, Mudashiru Lawal, had reportedly slumped in his house and died.
Other ex-Super Eagles and ex-Nigerian footballers who have died in somewhat unexplainable circumstances include Taiwo Ogunjobi, Okey Isima, Yakubu Mambo, Christian Madu, Patrick Okala, Wilfred Agbonavbare and Thompson Oliha.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Professionals Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Harrison Jalla, has raised serious concerns over the poor health of Esin. Ex-Super Eagles finest goaltender “Man Mountain” Emmanuel Okala, we gather, now lives in misery. Sylvester Egbogie, whose two legs have been amputated, is now sorrowing away in Warri.
This is a clarion call to the sports authorities in Nigeria to quickly intervene in the situation of Esin and other former national team players in similar situation.
Our ex-footballers need immediate assistance. NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick, has promised to set up a foundation for the welfare of Nigerian footballers. But beyond establishing a foundation, the Federal Government should set up an endowment fund for the well-being of Nigerian ex-footballers. Ghana Football Association (GFA) has done so. Nigeria should follow suit. Were such endowment fund in place, ailing Nigerian ex-footballers would probably not be dying of sickness and misery. A nation that allows its human capital to waste away is tottering on the brink of collapse.
Finally, like many sports, soccer has a short life-span. Therefore, it is incumbent on players and athletes to prepare for the future or retirement during their active days.
