Bendel Insurance FC family commiserates with Heartland FC over the passing of their head coach Christian Obi.
Heartland FC officially announced the death of the former Nigeria Internationa on Friday eveningl, following the involvement of their team bus in an unfortunate road crash on their way to Abakaliki for Tico/Select Ifeanyi Ekwueme Preseason Tournament.
In a statement signed by the Secretary, Bendel Insurance FC, Mr. Charles Ihimekpen, the Benin based club received the sad news on the passing of coach Obi with a rude shock.
“We sympathize with you and his immediate family, and share in your pains as you go through this difficult time.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Heartland family and wish others involved in the accident quick recovery. May his soul rest in peace.
“This is heartbreaking and heavy loss to the Nigerian football. It is our sincere appeals to government at all levels to make major roads in the country motorable and safe for travelers,” the statement reads.
According to Heartland FC official statement, their team departed the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri for the Preseason Tournament with enthusiasm at around 3:30pm in three vehicles but at about some minutes after 4pm, one of the vehicles rammed into a carelessly parked truck in its attempt to evade an oncoming vehicle and that the impact of the collision caused a sudden shock that made coach, Christian Obi unconscious with a slight injury to his right leg upon evacuation from the badly affected part of the bus.
The statement added, “Coach Obi and other injured players were rushed to the nearby hospital at Okwelle in Onuimo LGA of Imo State but despite the best efforts of the medical personnel our revered coach gave up the ghost.”
The remain of coach Obi has since been deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH) morgue in Owerri while the injured have been referred to the same hospital for more proper care.
