ANED mourns Mathew Atuegbu

Atuegbu passes on
Former Mighty Jets player, Mathew Atuegbu is dead this was disclosed by the coordinator of the Association of Nigerian Ex-Internationals in the Diaspora (ANED), Paul Okoku.

Okoku said that the Atuegbu died on August 24 after a brief illness. He was 70.

Mathew Atuegbu left behind a wife, Oge Atuegbu, three children and a grandson: Ogochukwu (daughter); Ifunanya (daughter), Olisa (son) and Sochima (grandson).

He was the oldest of the Atuegbu brothers, comprising the late Nicholas, Andrew and the late Aloysius, who were all prominent footballers. All the Atuegbu brothers featured for Mighty Jets of Jos in the ‘70s.

Okoku said that he got the confirmation of the death of Atuegbu from another ex-international, Christian Nwokocha.

“It was so sad to hear of Matthew’s death from Christian Nwokocha. He also told me that he touched so many lives from coaching and counseling young footballers  as a coach with Enugu Rangers in the 1980’s.

The likes of ex-internationals he would be proud of are  lke Ofoje, Totty O. Totty, Donald “Stone” Igwebuike and Charles Okoye, who have accomplished so much academically and professionally.

“I can only imagine what you and your family are going through at these difficult times. It wasn’t too long ago that you paid your last respect to your late mother as you were coping with the death of another of your late brother, Aloysius “Blockbuster” Atuegbu, one of the Nigeria ’s greatest footballers of all time.

The Association of Nigerian Ex-Internationals in the Diaspora, (ANED), sympathies with the family and pray that God grants you the fortitude to deal with the loss of  Matthew, as our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family” Okoku said in a statement.

There would be a wake keeping on  September 13  in USA and September 18, 2013, in Nigeria, respectively.  The burial ceremony will take place on September  19-20.