Former Sports Minister Ka’oje dies at 60

Nigeria’s former Minister of Sports, Bala Bawa Ka’oje, has died at the age of 60.

Nigeria Football Federation’s spokesperson, Ademola Olajire, said in a statement that the country’s sporting fraternity was thrown into grief with Ka’oje’s death.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, described the deceased as “a dignified and unassuming public servant who showed great passion and interest in the development and improvement of Nigeria sports.”

Ka’oje was born in Kebbi State on 20th September 1960, he earned a master’s degree in structural engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Ka’oje was quietly intelligent, diligent and a man of high integrity.

Ka’oje is on record to have conveyed to then NFA (for onward conveyance to world football –governing body, FIFA) in February 2007, the abrogation of Decree 101 hitherto governing the administration of football in Nigeria, and government’s recognition of the approval by then NFA’s Annual General Meeting of the Statutes and its standing orders as the sole regulatory instrument for football administration in Nigeria.

His remains were interred in Abuja on Tuesday afternoon.

The NFF was represented by the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, and Head of Member Associations, Ali Abubakar Muhammed.

NP/Confidence Okwuchi