Another Tragedy Hits Nigeria’s Football As Michael Eneramo Dies In Kaduna

FADEYI TOLULOPE AYOBAMI

 

Former Nigeria international forward Michael Eneramo collapsed and died on the pitch in Ungwan Yelwa, Kaduna on Friday morning, during a local friendly game in which he had played the entire first half.

 

Early reports indicated that Eneramo appeared to have suffered cardiac arrest five minutes into the second half of the said friendly match. He was born on 26^th November, 1985 in Kaduna.

 

“This is devastating. I am short of words at this moment. I can only pray that God will grant him eternal rest and also grant his loved ones and the Nigeria football family the fortitude to bear the loss,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said on the telephone from Cairo, Egypt.

 

Highly-respected in Tunisia and Turkey where he had fantastic club careers, Eneramo won 10 caps for the Super Eagles after rejecting overtures from Tunisia to take that country’s nationality and opt for an international odyssey with the Carthage Eagles.

 

His debut for Nigeria was against Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in a friendly match in London on 11^th February 2009, which ended goalless. In his second game, also a friendly, he scored his first goal for Nigeria against the Republic of Ireland in a 1-1 draw in London on 29^th May 2009. He also played against France in Nigeria’s 1-0 win in Saint Etienne four days later.

 

Five days later, he featured in Nigeria’s 3-0 win over Kenya in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Abuja, and also played the home-and-away ties with Tunisia (0-0 in Tunis and 2-2 in Abuja) in the same race. It was in the home game against Tunisia in Abuja on 6^th September 2009 that he scored his most memorable goal for the Super Eagles.  

 

Nicknamed Al Dababa (The Tank) by fans of Tunisian and African giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis, Eneramo was much-loved in the North African country for his confident play, which earned Esperance a number of silverwares. He also featured for top clubs Besiktas, Sivasspor and Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey.