Nigerian Football mourns again as 1980 AFCON Hero Charles Bassey passes on

The Nigerian football community has been thrown into mourning once again following the death of Charles Bassey, a key member of Nigeria’s historic 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team.

Bassey died on Saturday at the age of 71 after a prolonged illness in his hometown of Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

His passing comes just hours after the shocking news of the death of Christian Chukwu, the captain of the same legendary Green Eagles squad, in Enugu.

Reacting to the sad development, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), through its General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, expressed deep sorrow over what he described as a “day of double tragedy” for Nigerian football.

“This has been a day of double tragedy, and the NFF and the entire Nigerian football fraternity are deeply saddened by the turn of events. We lost ‘Chairman’ Chukwu earlier in the day; now, we have to mourn Charles Bassey. May God Almighty grant their souls eternal rest,” Sanusi stated.

Charles Bassey was one of the 22 Green Eagles players who wrote their names in gold on March 22, 1980, when Nigeria clinched its first-ever AFCON title by defeating Algeria 3-0 at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

After hanging up his boots, Bassey transitioned into coaching and managed several notable Nigerian football clubs. These included Calabar Rovers, Mobil Pegasus (his hometown team), BCC Lions of Gboko, Flash Flamingoes of Benin, Akwa United, and Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.

His death marks the ninth loss from the iconic 1980 AFCON-winning squad. Others who have passed include goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong, defenders Christian Chukwu, Okechukwu Isima, and Tunde Bamidele, midfielders Aloysius Atuegbu and Mudashiru Lawal, and fellow forward Martins Eyo.

The legacy of Charles Bassey lives on, not only through his achievements on the pitch but also through the generations of players he mentored as a coach. His contribution to Nigerian football, both as a player and a trainer, remains indelible.