Heartland players injured as coach Christian Obi dies in road accident

Christian Power Obi, the head coach of Heartland FC, has died in a car accident.

In a statement shared on Saturday, the club said Obi passed away on Friday from injuries sustained after the team bus was involved in a crash in Okigwe, Imo.

The statement revealed that players and staff of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) club were on their way to participate in the TICO/SELECT Ifeanyi Ekwueme pre-season tournament in Ebonyi when the accident occurred.

The accident involved one of the team’s three vehicles “which rammed into a carelessly parked truck while attempting to evade an oncoming vehicle”.

The statement added that injured players and staff are still being treated at a nearby hospital in Okwelle, Imo state.

“The heart breaking day saw the Heartland FC team departing 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,” the statement reads in part.

“The driver tried as he could but the impact of the collision caused a sudden shock to our coach, Christian Obi who was unconscious with a slight injury to his right leg upon evacuation from the badly affected part of the bus.

“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.

“Words alone cannot fully capture how the news of his death has thrown everyone at the club into deep mourning because of how precious Coach Obi was to the club.

“His name would continue to remain etched in the history of the club following the club’s unbeaten run in the Nigeria National League throughout the 2022-23 season a feat that culminated in the club winning the NNL Super 8 in Asaba, Delta State.

“We appreciate the concerns from all and sundry on the unfortunate incident but the club demands that its privacy and that of the Late Obi’s family be respected during this dark period. The club will not be making further statements for the time being.

“Coach Obi remains have 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.”

Obi was at the helm as Heartland FC suffered relegation from the NPFL last season. He was 57 years old at the time of his death.

The deceased coach was part of the Nigeria U-20 team that won the bronze at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship — now FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The former goalkeeper was also in the Nigerian football squad at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.