Anthony Obaseki: Death Of One of Nigeria’s Finest Sports Journalists News

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Anthony Obaseki: Death Of One of Nigeria’s Finest Sports Journalists

By Daily sports on November 2, 2020

Dear, most preferred readers of Daily Sports and this page every Monday morning. Thank you most sincerely for your genuine love for your GOOGLE Compliant and soar away digital all sports daily and by extension, this column. It was again proved last week when l couldn’t publish and your numerous calls simply signified same. Thanks for always being there and the messages you passed across were real and deep down straight from your heart of hearts. Thank you all once again for faithfully being number one fans of ours.

To be honest with you dear readers, the event of Tuesday, October 20, where soldiers were ordered by the worldly powers that be in Nigeria to shoot at sight our children that gathered at the famous and money spinning Lekki Tollgate for no just cause contributed to why I totally lost appetite to write last week.

The raw show of brute power by this government on defenseless lads that harmlessly gathered to gently but legitimately demand total end to the widely known notorious activities of Special Police Strike Force co-named SARS and other maladministration by the APC/Buhari government since 2015 is unacceptable.

The government influenced the killings that happened during the #EndSARS agitation that climaxed on October 20 at Lekki Tollgate where one person makes the whole money from the unsuspecting motorists and in order for him to continue his brisk money spinning business, connived with the government he heavily helped to install, to kill tens of thousands of very promising youths and in failed attempt to cover up to re-invent the unknown soldier bicycle or cock and bull story, was forced to own up when the video of the senseless Lekki Tollgate killings went viral.

The Nigerian Army that has long being defeated by Boko Haram and others, denied ever sending soldiers for the illegal operation at Lekki Tollgate. As there was no escape route, the same Army ate their words, because it not only owned up by pointing vivid accusing fingers at the Governor of Lagos State, who deceived himself initially to say the order that drafted the army to kill the innocent boys and girls on that fateful day was beyond his control.

Our children were murdered in cold blood while singing the national anthem and fresh blood stained the nation’s flag which the international community has termed abomination yet the APC/Buhari and their other clappers/soldiers still denied using live bullets on the defenseless youths of this country. We are keenly watching as history would definitely vindicate the just.

I am thoroughly saddened thus far and was trying to get back to my desk only for another sad news to break yesterday, Sunday, November 1, when a close friend, brother, colleague, veteran sports journalist par excellence, Prince Anthony Obaseki widely known as NETWORK due to his versatility in this job, which he was married to, was pronounced dead.

The demise of Anthony Obaseki which has gone viral in the social media with glowing tributes further saddened this reporter who has worked with him on the same desk and found him much more suitable on the job. He goes out of his way to get news behind the news and he was never compromised by newsmakers.

He was a hard worker to just put it mildly. I am truly short of words to describe or write on this man. He was too thorough in his work. For instance, when he maintained a page called “Nigeria Professional Football League NetWork”, every Friday between 2011-2012 in National Daily newspaper, the page was a must-read by those who controlled the game and if I further said that it was like the bible or total guide, it won’t be said to be an exaggeration in any matter as that page attracted comments widely and calls.

Without mincing words, he was pronto hired by El-Kanemi FC of Maiduguri as the team’s Media Manager which he diligently handled for the FC. He was well traveled and known in all the League centres across the country. No football stakeholder worthy of his or her salt would deny not meeting him one on one, either during personal and exclusive interviews or otherwise. He is physically gone but would remain vividly in the minds of his colleagues and many club managers and football administrators.

He had stroke and was being treated. When I spoke with him last week, before his death, he was strong and I was thanking God for steady improvement only for the sad news of yesterday. I told him that I would see him live when I would be in Benin City, Edo State, for the AFCON qualifier between Super Eagles and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, November 13, but that meeting could not be again. God knows best and nothing absolutely nothing is hidden before our Creator. I am very saddened thus far on his demise and nothing would make me forget him in a hurry as our sojourn on this earth goes on.

He was honest and this is not such kind words people tend to use when humans die. His was real and practical. He was jovial and kind too. May his soul and the souls of all the departed faithful, through the Mercy of God rest in Peace and eternal rest grant unto him O! Lord, and let the Perpetual Light Shine Upon him….. Amen!

And now the list of players recently released by Gernot Rohr for the AFCON qualifier double header game against Sierra Leone remains compact if the handlers would make it decisively. From the goalkeeper, except Daniel Akpeyi who I presumed found his way there because of his supposedly wealth of experience which hardly comes to play, the others, both new comers and sundry are welcomed. One wishes the lads well and vigilance while playing against the minnows.

While we close on these rather sad notes of the killings of numerous youths at the Lekki Tollgate by soldiers and the death of Anthony Obaseki, keep shooting hard, till next week as the Struggle Continues!!

Source Daily sports

Posted November 2, 2020