January 25, 2015 – The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow at news of the death of one-time Head Coach of the U-17 National Team and a former Assistant Coach of the Super Eagles, Coach Musa Abdullahi.
Coach Abdullahi, who suffered a stroke several years ago and had been confined to his home in Kogi State since then, died on Sunday and was buried the same day.
“This is terrible news,” began NFF President Amaju Pinnick, who spoke on telephone from Equatorial Guinea where he is on official duty for the Confederation of African Football at the 30th Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“Coach Musa Abdullahi was known by all who came across him as a gentleman to the core, a very humble, highly dedicated and tireless professional who had real passion for the job. He was just a likeable person in every respect.
“We feel very, very sad to lose him but God loves him more and he has gone to rest. Our prayer is for Almighty God to grant him peaceful rest and also grant the family he has left behind the fortitude to bear the huge loss,” Pinnick stated.
The ever-smiling Musa Abdullahi assisted Coach Fanny Amun to lead the U-17 National Team to a second FIFA U-17 World Cup title in Japan in 1993, before leading the team, several years later, to win the African title in Seychelles in 2001 and win silver at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago the same year. He also served at different times as Assistant Coach of the Senior National Team, Super Eagles.
