Nigeria’s first FIFA-badge ref Okubule dies at 80

Nigeria’s first FIFA-badge referee and retired CAF instructor, Festus Okubule, died on Monday at an unnamed Lagos hospital aged 80.

Okubule’s first daughter Sola Taiwo, who confirmed her father’s death, said burial arrangements of the octogenarian would be announced soon.

Regarded as one of Africa’s finest refs, Okubule was born March 14, 1942.

He became an international referee in 1973 and the following year got his badge as a FIFA referee. Thereafter, he handled several top continental games, including the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers and was at some point Africa’s number three ref.

In 1983, Okubule became the first Nigerian ref to officiate at a FIFA tournament, when he was picked for the FIFA Youth Championship (now FIFA U-20 World Cup) in Mexico.

Incidentally, that was the first FIFA tournament attended by a Nigerian team. He was the centre ref in the Group B match between Poland and the United States in Pueblo, as well as the game between Brazil and Holland at the Jalisco Stadium, Guadalajara.

Besides refereeing, Okubule also worked at Guinness Nigeria, where he retired as an administrative officer.

Okubule retired from being a match commissioner in 2016.

PUNCH/Nnenna.O