Ex-Eagles pay tributes to Ebiede

Former Super Eagles defender Emmanuel Ebiede passed away on Friday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and tributes from his former teammates have continued to pour in.

According to PUNCH, Ebiede, 47, passed away from hepatomegaly (liver enlargement) while receiving care at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

Ebiede left behind a wife and three children, two of them were in Nigeria and one in Holland.

The midfielder competed for the Flying Eagles in the 1995 home edition of the African Youth Championship.

Former Super Eagles assistant coach and a bossom friend to the late Ebiede said, “He passed on this evening (Friday). It’s so sad, I’m devastated, been trying to keep myself together.”

Former Eagles goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, expressed his unhappiness over the demise of Ebiede despite receiving medical attention from the Rivers State government.

“Its so sad that he is no more despite help coming his way. May his gentle soul rest in peace,” Dosu said.

Ebiede won two caps for the Super Eagles, earning his first on January 28, 1998, in a 1-0 victory against Iran in a pre-World Cup friendly, playing under Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic.

Ebiede left his childhood club Sharks of Port Harcourt to join SC Eendracht Aalst in the Belgian First Division in 1995.

He first relocated to SC Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie in 1997, followed by stays in Israel from 2006 to 2008 and the United Arab Emirates from 1999 to 2004. After that, he went back home and played for Sharks and Bayelsa United. 2011 saw his retirement.