SPORTS: LEGENDARY NIGERIAN COACH BASSEY, SEEKS GOVT’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT
By evangelist.com.ng edition, Saturday September 16, 2023. By Solomon OKPO
A member of the 1980 Africa cup of Nations Winning green Eagles, coach Charles Bassey is appealing for help from governments and philanthropic Nigerians to support him financially.
Baessey, MON last coached at Akwa United in 2007 as the sides technical director of the Akwa Ibom State ministry of sports, achievements that should be a thing of joy for Akwa Ibom State government and pride but in the case of Charles Bassey, MON is a different ball game today and recently Bassey was invited by Air-peace airlines in Lagos and inducted into HALL of FAME, reported by evangelist.com.ng.
“I was sent on coaching course in Brazil and shortly after returning from Brazil I had a car accident which did some damage to my back”. he said.
“I am dying from a spinal cord injury I sustained while serving as the coach of the Benue Cement Factory (BCC Lions) of Gboko when my car was involved in an accident which also claimed the life of my friend”.
“Due to years of playing football, the knocks and kicks have worsened my condition now and the spinal cord injury has affected me seriously, walking from my bedroom to the sitting room is a difficult task,” said Baseey.
Bassey, a former Rovers FC of Calabar player and coach told The Evangelist News via telephone from Ikot Uso-Ekong, Eket his hometown Akwa Ibom State, “the accident which also claimed the life of my friend occurred in 1986 as I was returning to Benue and this has affected me seriously”.
“The Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu treated me at the expense of BCC Lions of Gboko, the hospital said there was pressure on my back that pains will resurface later in my old age”.
“The Hope Waddell Old boys Association came here and took me to the Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State”.
“Also, Femi Otedola, a Nigerian billionaire businessman paid millions of naira for the six months of my treatment at the Ibom Specialist hospital that expired in November 2021”.
“Now I am waiting for money to continue with the treatment but the money is not forthcoming, feeding and meeting the needs of my family is a daily struggle as I don’t have any pension.”
“Please, tell the Akwa Ibom Government, God’s spirited men and women to know, that I am dying.”
Bassey MON, now 69 years old, expressed regret about what life has presented to him given that he had been young, bold and brilliant in the 1980s as player who already had Grade 2 coaching certificate before being invited to the Green Eagles as an attacking midfielder.
According to him, he was about 26 years old as a gold winner of the 1980 squad with the likes of Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala, and others.
Bassey hails Gov Umo Eno for reviving governor’s cup in Akwa Ibom state, saying, “in the nearest future Akwa Ibom will produce the likes of us, Kanu Nwakwo, Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okala, others to represent Akwa Ibom in the national team as the Umo Eno’s led government has focus to fish out football talents from the grassroots”.
