'Those who play for Nigeria die in vain' — Rufai Oseni laments as Air Peace CEO honours Olympics athletes, AFCON heroes

Arise TV journalist Rufai Oseni has lamented the issues surrounding the death of Nigerian Olympian Jeremiah Okorodudu.

The former boxer passed last month at the age of 64 after battling with foot ulcer that left him bedridden for weeks.

The Lagos-based private hospital where Okorodudu died demanded payment of his outstanding medical bills worth N600,000 before the body was released to his family.

Speaking on Arise TV's morning show against the backdrop of Allen Onyema's efforts to honour AFCON and Olympics heroes with lifetime flight tickets and other incentives, Rufai noted that those who represent Nigeria in the various sporting disciplines die in vain.

“It is sad that those who play for Nigeria die in vain. They had to detain Okorodudu's body.

“They detained his body first for N600,000, an Olympian in this country. Are the people and the authorities not supposed to stand for this man?”

Okorodudu represented Nigeria at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, where he competed in the middleweight category.

He won a gold medal in the Oluyole 1979 National Sports Festival in Ibadan.

WDN