Ismaila Mabo, ex-Falcons head coach, is dead

Ismaila Mabo, former Super Falcons head coach, has died at the age of 78 after a protracted bout with an undisclosed illness. 

Najib Mabo, the ex-Eagles coach’s son, announced his dad’s demise in a Facebook post on Monday.

“Innalillahi wainna illaihi rajiun. Our father, Chief Coach Alhaji Ismailia Mabo is gone. May his soul rest in peace. Ameen,” the post read.

According to the family, Mabo died in the early hours of the day at his residence in Jos, Plateau state.

Funeral activities commenced with prayers at the family house in Jos.

His funeral was held at the Zaria Road burial ground in Jos before he was laid to rest, according to Muslim rites.

Mabo was widely considered the Falcons’ most successful head coach after leading the team to the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup where the team reached the quarterfinals — Nigeria’s best-ever performance at the competition.

Prior to that, he also led the Falcons to their first-ever African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) win, where the team scored 28 goals and none conceded to lift the maiden edition of the competition in Ijebu Ode.

Mabo was also in charge of the AWCON title defence in South Africa two years later.

He took the team to the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.