Sad! 21-Yr-Old Footballer, Okafor Kelechi Dies Few Hours Before His Departure To Europe

Okafor Kelechi,  a 21 -year-old footballer was reported died on the pitch when on training. The incident happened at the training ground at Idowu Fadeyi, Ayobo, Ipaja.

The footballer was elated when he and two other members of his football team were selected to travel to Azerbaijan, in Eastern Europe, where he was to be signed to kick-start his professional career.

For three years, the Anambra-state native was a member of the Lion Heart Football Club in the Ayobo community, where he trained and honed his skills as a right full-back and occasionally played as a central midfielder.

Kelechi began shopping for personal effects and other valuables he would travel with, ecstatic at the news, which he described as a prayer answered, while his club processed all necessary travel documents.

While these preparations were underway, he had no idea that fate had another surprise in store for him. Unfortunately, his dream came crashing down on August 10, 2021, while he and his teammates were practising. It was, ironically, the same day he was supposed to travel.

One of his teammates explained how the tragedy occurred, saying, “the incident happened on the very day Kelechi and three others were supposed to travel to Europe.”

“We had gone for training that day. He went for an aerial battle. On his way down, he lost balance and hit his head on the ground.

“Immediately, the coaches administered first aid on him, trying to revive him. When it didn’t yield any result, they rushed him to the hospital.  But he died on the way.

When we got to the private hospital located in the Ayobo area, doctors declared him  ‘brought in dead’.

“From there the coaches went to Ayobo Police Station to report the incident. The police came to the training ground at Idowu Fadeyi, Ayobo, Ipaja where the incident happened. The policemen questioned some of the players, took photographs before going to the hospital”.

“I got so emotional, I couldn’t control myself as I began to cry when I saw the lifeless body of Kelechi being put inside a body bag.  His corpse was deposited at the Yaba morgue “

It was discovered that when Kelechi’s uncle, Chukwudi, and his elder brother Uche arrived at the pitch, everyone was in a sober mood.

According to reports, the club manager explained what happened, as well as the efforts of teammates and coaches. Following that, the relatives returned to the police station to meet with the DPO and inform them that they wanted the case closed because it was not a murder case.

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