The city of Ibadan was thrown into deep mourning when the news of the death of the first football club captain in Nigeria to ever lift a continental trophy for the country in 1976 through the IICC shooting Stars, Samuel Adeleke Ojebode who died in the early our of yesterday at the University college Hospital Ibadan, through a protracted heart related disease,National Daily learnt.
Coach Ojebode was born on 14th of July 1944 and had his elementary education in Oyo town between 1951 and 1960.
He began his football career in 1960 and enlisted in the Nigerian Police force where as a member of t of State and Oyo state police command distinguished himself and won a number of laurels.
On 1st of April 1971, He joined the Western Nigerian Development Corporation (WNDC) Shooting Stars which later became IICC before it finally metamorphosed to IICC Shooting Stars Sports club 3SC in 1990.
Mr. Ojebode played for the Ibadan Lions of the West which won the Nigerian Challenge Cup of 1969 by beating Warri Wolves by 5-1 in the final.
He was also a member of the WNDC shooting Stars that won the 1971 Nigerian Challenge Cup by defeating the Enugu Rangers at the Final by 2-1.
He played for the Nigeria National team (The green Eagles) where he was the left full back between 1974- 1977 and was a member of the Green Eagle to the African Nation Cup in 1976 where he was described as the live wire of the Nigeria Defense. (Nigerian Daily times)
Popularly called “Eki Nla” (Hard Tackler) in his playing days, Ojebode was the first left full back in Nigeria with the ability to overlap from the left full back to the outside left.
He was the fourth captain of WNDC Shooting Stars after the likes of Late Jide Johnson, Jossy Lad, and Kola Taiwo between 1974 and 1978 and led the team to his first continental trophy the African Cup Winners Cup by beating Tonnere Kalala of Cameroun 4-2 aggregate.
He retired from playing active soccer in September 1978 and started his coaching career by attending the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Lagos for the Grade III coaching course in 1979. He had his housemanship course in under father Tiko Jehscavic in Yugoslavia (1980—1981), Association Brasilera Trein Dore de futbol, Rio-Brazil for a diploma in football coaching NFA/CAF/ FIFA refreshers Seminars Coaching Clinics between 1982-1999. He was a coach with the Oyo state sports council in 1983 and became the coach of Oyo Academicals that won the National Academicals Football Competition in 1984 final which was played at the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos .
He attended Brazilian Football Academy, Rio de Janeiro in, Brazil for his advanced diploma course in physical and training coaching in 1991. And was at the Administrative staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) in 1998.
He was a member caretaker committee of 5 man Caretaker Committee of IICC shooting Stars sports club in 1992, Management member of Oyo State Sports council between 1994-1986 and retired voluntarily from the Oyo state sports council in 1999 as the deputy Director, Sports and Training.
He was the Secretary, Technical and accreditation committee, Ibadan Sub Zone of the 10th World Youth Championship) WYC tagged Nigerian 1999 a member of the NFA Technical committee between 2000-2004 .
He was part of Chief Onigbinde’s consortium of coaches between 2004-2006.
He was appointed the chairman; Board of Directors of Shooting Stars by the Otunba Christopher Adebayo Akala led government of Oyo State on 3rd of April 2006 the post he held till late 2007.
The news of his heart related problem became public early this year when he could no longer foot his Bill at the University College Hospital Ibadan.
The Government of Oyo State under Senator Abiola Ajimobi promptly came to his rescue and was adequately taken care off before he was discharged from hospital he kept up with the hospital until the sickness relapse at the weekend and had been on a life support machine since Monday before he gave up the ghost this morning.
He is survived by wife Mrs. Morenikeji Titilayo Ojebode and children.