Skip to main content

SWAN mourn Izu Joseph

sports-writers-association-of-nigeria-swan

Some former players of Ibadan league side, 3SC, and the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Tuesday lamented the killing of Izu Joseph.

Joseph, a defender with the Ibadan-based Oluyole Warriors, was reportedly shot on Sunday at Okaki, Rivers, by a member of the Joint Task Force ensuring security in the Niger Delta region.

Former international, Felix Owolabi, described the death of Joseph as a sad development in a civilized society.

“It is a sad development that the player was killed the way it was reported; now the club and the family have been denied his services when they need him the most.

“At a time like this when we are just celebrating the release of the Chibok girls, something tragic happened again and Joseph was killed in a hale of bullets.

“I just wish the family and the club, 3SC, the fortitude to be able to bear the irreparable loss,” Owolabi, popularly called Owoblow said.

Joseph, who recently sat on the bench when 3SC played against Abia Warriors at Umuhaia, was a reliable defender for the club.

In a tribute, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, an ex-3SC player as well as former Secretary General of the NFF, expressed regrets at the incident, saying Joseph still had a lot to offer.

“He was central to 3SC’s team play and he would be missed by the club. I just wish the family and the club the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.

Also speaking, Ajibade Babalade, a former 3SC defender, described the death of the player as tragic.

“I could not believe the news until I saw it on Facebook. It is really very sad to hear that Izu is no more.

“He used to call me asking me how he could become a great player in future and I normally advised him to be hard working.

“I never knew he would not last like this. It is very sad that he left shortly when his family, 3SC and Nigeria needed him most,” Babalade said.

Meanwhile, the National President of SWAN, Honour Sirawoo, has described the death of the player as shocking.

“I want a full-scale investigation into the matter so that the culprits could be brought to book and it will serve as deterrent to others in future,” he said.

A condolence register had been opened for the deceased at the club house in Ibadan.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...
Post a Comment
Read more