Onigbinde, 3SC Mourn Passing Away Of Ex Shooting Stars Hero Rafiu Salami

A former member of the victorious set of IICC Shooting Star squad that won the first continental laurel for Nigeria in club-side football, Rafiu Salami died in early hours of Wednesday in his Elebu-Oluyole extension, Ibadan home.

Salami, along with late Jossy Lad assisted Coach Allan Hocks to win the Cup Winners-Cup for Nigeria and Shooting Stars in 1976 passed away in a pathetic manner according to his children at the ripe age of 73 after a brief illness.

“He has been sick for the past two months but the physician advised us to move him back home when his case seems hopeless, and he gave up the ghost moments after getting home this morning (Wednesday)”, said one of the deceased children.

Salami that was once an assistant Coach with Flying Eagles 1995 won a double for 3SC in 1998 when he assumed as head coach after Coach Sakari Baraje left the club that season.

He also came back to assist late Coach Kafaru Alabi in 2005.

FIFA/CAF Technical Instructor, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde described the deceased as a cool headed and complete gentleman who always show high degree of commitment to any assignment given to him, describing his loss as a painful one to him.

3SC in their reaction to the death of their ex-captain and coach, the media officier Jubril Arowolo described the incident as a rude-shock, saying the club just recently sent a delegation to check on his welfare and just this morning were confronted with the bad news.