By Daily Sports on July 20, 2020

Last week yet witnessed or was a dark period for sports especially football, that lost two major stakeholders to the cold hands of death as the saying goes but honestly I don’t know if death has hands.

Death in its wicked manner claimed the very unassuming sports journalist and member of Nigeria Premier Women Football League board (NPWFL), Henrietta Ukaigwe and former chairman of 3SC FC, Elder Bode Oyewole, two jolly great fellows.

They lived for the growth and development of sports, especially football, where they paid their dues respectively as a Sports Journalist of repute cum administrator and elder Oyewole as administrator extra-ordinary in 3SC FC as chairman, where he vividly left his foot prints on the sands of time.

It is on record that during his term as the Chairman of the Oluyole Warriors, the team attained one of her glorious periods as one of the oldies in Nigerian football club history. Late Oyewole was a jolly great man. He loved the round leather game to his bone marrow.

He would forever remain one of those that wholeheartedly and genuinely loved the game and spent their personal fund to finance the activities of the club. I met him a couple of times when I was in Daily Times and they were roundly sportive.

Oyewole calls me by my first name and would often joke, while beckoning on those around him to be silent because ‘the no-nonsense reporter from Daily Times is in our midst’ and he would quickly ask how is my good friend Gboyega Okegbenro. The rest is history even as this reporter prays for the repose of elder Bode Oyewole’s soul to eternal rest.

Henrietta Ukaigwe, a go getter reporter and football administrator’s death remains unbelievable to me but the reality has dawned on me and truth is that I am still in rude shock because of our mutual closeness and respect we professionally maintained for many years.

She met us on the beat and warmed herself into the hearts of many through diligence, honesty, hard work, professional discipline and above all was daring in this male dominated profession.

She was vice chairman of the once upon a time vibrant and cohesive Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, after serving as its treasurer.  She spearheaded growth and formidability of Women football in Nigeria with others and she continued till her shocked death. Words have failed me as I am not in frame of mind to write this kind of thing on Henrietta Ukaigwe because of our closeness and the fact that my heart is still heavy. Rest coolly sister, colleague and friend. God knows best. After all what is this world about, ‘sef’?

There are other trending stories last week but I decided on wide request and my conviction too that this twosome merited to be written on this page and Daily Sports because they showed lots of gritty on the most beautiful game on earth and nothing would be too great to devote a page for them.

As tributes kept pouring in for the duo, pray that God gives the families the fortitude to bear the loss. Our social media handles are on, let’s keep the discussion alive. Keep shooting hard till next week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 20, 2020

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