‘A Truly Big Tree Has Fallen,’ NFF Mourns Ex-VP Oyuki Obaseki

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has mourned the death of its second Vice President, Oyuki Jackson Obaseki.

Obaseki, who was also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, died on Sunday in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The NFF noted that the 75 –year old left his giant footprints in the sands of time with his extensive work, passion, and vision to take the Nigerian league’s elite division to new heights.

He was pioneer chairman of the body known as Interim Management Committee which was inaugurated in February 2005, which transmuted to the Nigeria Premier League the following year.

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Paying tribute to the Obaseki, NFF Acting President Seyi Akinwunmi said, “A truly big tree has fallen.

“We remember very much the work that Chief Obaseki did to promote and project the elite division of the Nigeria League during his time as chairman. It was difficult to match his passion and energy as he pursued his vision for an independent League body.”

He added, “We worked together at some point during the early days of the efforts to reposition the Nigeria Premier League.

“He took everything that needed to be done as a project and drove everyone else around him hard to play their own roles appropriately.”

Obaseki, known with the alias ‘Moving Train’, was the Ohe of Bini Kingdom – a very high-ranking position in one of the oldest kingdoms in the universe.

As Chairman of the Premier League, Obaseki was automatically the Second Vice President of the NFF during the presidency of Sani Lulu Abdullahi between 2006 and 2010.