Tributes pour in for Oliha

Suddenly the Golden Generation of 1994 is thinning out no thanks to the death of another squad member, Thompson Oliha on Sunday. Already, Nigeria have lost two members of that team, Uche Okafor (in 2011) and Rashidi Yekini (in 2012). In the third successive year, Nigeria have been thrown into mourning over the death of one of their talented footballers from the Golden Generation. Oliha also known as 'The General' died at the age of 44 in a private hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State on Sunday morning owing to complaints of malaria. Oliha made 31 appearances for Nigeria at senior level and scored twice. He was also a member of the Super Eagles to the 1994 Fifa World Cup finals in the United States of America. He made his debut at senior level against Senegal in 1990. Oliha, who attended Western Boys High School in Benin City, played for Bendel Insurance, Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland), Africa Sports, Maccabi Ironi Ashdod and Antalyaspor before a knee injury ended his career at the age of 27. Until his death, Oliha worked as a coach with the famous Kwara Football Academy (KFA) in Ilorin for five years and was in charge of the academy's under-16s. Former teammates have continued to express shock over the death of Oliha and supersport.com captures their pain. I worked with Thompson at the Kwara Football Academy since 2007 when Clemens Westerhof brought us here (to Ilorin) and he was a fantastic person, very professional, straightforward and blunt too. I played alongside him once in the Super Eagles and I know how committed he was to the game. We travelled together to Ibadan recently with our team to play 3SC. I still spoke to him yesterday (Saturday) and I'm really sad that we've lost a real football man - Samuel Elijah, former under-20 defender. Another sad day. Ex-international Thompson Oliha my teammate at the 1987 Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Chile is dead. This is so sad. May his soul rest in peace. One death too many in our country. God help us all - Etim Esin, former under-20 and Super Eagles midfielder. He was a cool and gentle player, and very disciplined and objective. We were teammates in the junior and senior natiional teams. We also played for Iwuanyanwu Nationale. A real professional and business-minded player. He was very ambitious and dedicated to the game. It is just unfortunate that he didn't make the Maroc 88 team with me as a result of his sickness at the last face of screening to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. A great loss to football - Peter Nieketen, former under-20 star. It’s a devastating news, we’ve lost a couple of former Nigerian players in quick succession and now Thompson Oliha, I’m lost of words. It’s bad omen that Nigeria lost him. It’s a massive blow to Nigeria football and the world. I know him to have a warrior mentality, somebody you’ll always count on to hold the ball in a tight situation, he was a reliable midfielder on the pitch. Off the pitch he was clearly individualistic, somebody who goes for what he strongly believes in. Oliha made invaluable contribution to Nigeria football, an icon of our time to the nation and Africa - Emeka Ezeugo, ex-Super Eagles defender. Tommy Young as I called him all our days in the national team and Kwara Football Academy was a legend who will give 100% performance on the pitch. I used to be jealous of his commitment and loyalty to the clubs he played for, and the nation at large. This guy loved the game and was a workaholic. He had tremendous stamina and fighting spirit. Off the pitch, the best I can say based on what I knew of him when we worked in Kwara is he was a simple guy and a guy so contented and conserved. He transferred all of his attributes so quickly into young players at the academy in Kwara. Westerhof and myself were in disbelief how he did that. I am so pained over his death. We spoke and chat recently and I told him I will pay him a visit after my exams - Moses Kpakor, ex-Super Eagles midfielder. We played together for the Under-20 national team in 1987. We won the African title together. He was quiet, but very hard working on the field - Jonathan Akpoborie, former under-20 and Super Eagles striker. It's a sad loss. Thompson was a professional all through his life and didn't shy away from working hard and intelligently too to become a top player - Friday Ekpo, ex-Super Eagles midfielder. Nigerian soccer legend, Thompson Oliha, is reported dead this (Sunday) morning. Nations Cup 1994 winner at age 44. Sad day. Thoughts go out to the family - Sunday Oliseh, ex-Super Eagles captain via Twitter. I call him ‘The General’ in our playing days because he was simply fantastic and very dedicated, very versatile too. I know we’ll all go some day but I think we lost Oliha too early and I pray God will grant his soul eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss - Stephen Keshi, Super Eagles head coach. Thomas boy as I usually call him is a mixture of introvert and extrovert. With footballers only he is relaxed, very loud and playful. With less of his colleagues he is mindful of what he says and keeps more to himself. He plays every football match as if his life depends on it. He usually gives 100 percent. He hates to be cheated but death cheated him at an unlikely hour. God gives and God takes. May he rest in perfect peace - Edema Fuludu, ex-Super Eagles star. I met him in Ilorin with Westerhof, then he was helping Westerhof with his academy and he was my teammate at Iwuanyanwu Nationale in the past. On the pitch, he takes his job serious and off the pitch a very lovely fun and easy-going guy. You just have to be close to him before you judge him. I went out with him several times and he is a fun-loving guy. My condolence to his family and may his soul rest in peace - Andrew Uwe, teammate at Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland). Thompson was one of the best players in our league during his days and well behaved too, and that's why he excelled at the top level. He was a complete gentleman who was willing to sacrifice for the team. It's a sad news to hear he is dead. May his soul rest in peace and I pray his family to have the fortitude to bear the loss - Christian Chukwu, former Nigeria captain and head coach. I was shocked to hear of his death. He was a superb player and I did enjoy playing alongside him during our days in the national team. He was a gentleman and talked less but he expressed himself more on the pitch. It's a sad loss to his family and Nigeria. May his soul rest in peace - Mutiu Adepoju, ex-Super Eagles star. This is a tragedy of huge proportions. Oliha was one of the best midfielders to have played for Nigeria. His comments and analyses on Nigeria football over the years have been quite informed and useful. The federation and the entire Nigeria football family mourn Oliha’s passing. He was certainly one of the nation’s greats and acquitted himself brilliantly in national colours. Now, we have lost another member of the Golden Generation, following the deaths of Uche Okafor and Rashidi Yekini - Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) We played together at Iwuanyanwu Nationale, which is now Heartland and he was a very important player for us and also very hardworking too. It's sad to hear he is dead. We've lost a general in Thompson. May his soul rest in peace and God be with his family - Ransome Madu, Heartland assistant coach. Yes of course we will really miss a hardworking and honest person indeed in Thompson. He was a friend and was a very straightforward person even some refer to him as 'Black Jesus.' We pray for the repose of his soul - Alloy Chukwuemeka, general manager of ABS. Courtesy: supersport.com