Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, a revered Nigerian football coach and administrator, passed away on Monday at the age of 89. His death, announced by his family through his daughter, Mrs. Bolade Adesuyi, has sent shockwaves through the football community and beyond. Onigbinde was celebrated as a Modakeke, Osun State High Chief and the first indigenous Nigerian coach of the Super Eagles.

His son, Mr. Oyekunle Onigbinde, confirmed in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that his father had been sick, describing his passing as a huge shock. Oyekunle highlighted his father's resilient spirit, stating, "He fought well to stay alive. He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery." He further remembered his father as an exceptionally generous and accommodating individual, saying, "My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together. He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united. He was the string that knitted many together."

Tributes poured in, including from renowned sports analyst Tayo Balogun, who recounted a memorable 40-minute phone conversation with Onigbinde. Balogun expressed his appreciation for Onigbinde's character, describing him as "painstaking, foresighted, forthright, forthcoming and incredibly hardworking." During their conversation, Balogun noted a change in Onigbinde's voice, which the coach attributed to old age while humorously claiming he was "as fit as a fiddle." He also recalled Onigbinde's inquiries about his "TV Gang" of Feyi Ogunduyile and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf.

Balogun also commended Onigbinde for his impactful leadership at Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), particularly for changing the club's name from IICC Shooting Stars. He recounted asking Onigbinde about his decision to practice penalty kicks after 3SC had comprehensively beaten Tonnere Kalara Club of Yaounde, to which Onigbinde replied, "If we can beat them 4-0 in Ibadan, they may pay us back in Yaounde." The veteran analyst also praised Onigbinde's bravery in selecting players for the 2002 World Cup, despite a perceived mistake in not playing Mutiu Adepoju, for which Onigbinde offered a tactical explanation to avoid blame on Adepoju should they lose.

Reflecting on Onigbinde's coaching prowess, Balogun described him as the most thorough Nigerian coach he knew. Despite receiving limited funding for his teams – 20 percent for Shooting Stars and less than 10 percent for the Super Eagles – Onigbinde consistently achieved "spectacular results." Balogun highlighted his historic achievement of leading a team of rookies like Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Paul Okoku, and Femi Olukanmi to Ghana to defeat the formidable Black Stars in their home country. Balogun concluded his tribute by calling Onigbinde a "gentleman, humble and highly intelligent," asserting that his memory "will remain indelible."

President Bola Tinubu extended his condolences to the family, associates, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the National Sports Commission (NSC), professional colleagues, and fans of the late administrator. In a release issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu recognized Chief Onigbinde as the first indigenous coach of the Super Eagles in 1982. He commended Onigbinde's significant contributions to the development of grassroots football and the strengthening of football administration in Nigeria. The President also acknowledged Onigbinde's historic leadership in guiding the Super Eagles to the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, emphasizing that he would be remembered for his discipline, integrity, foresight, and passion for the game. President Tinubu offered prayers for the repose of the departed soul and comfort for his grieving family.

Beyond his national achievements, Chief Onigbinde was globally recognized as one of the most respected members of both the CAF (Confederation of African Football) and FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) Technical Study Group, where he made meaningful contributions to worldwide football development. The family expressed gratitude for his fulfilled life and contributions to the nation and the world, promising to announce the final funeral arrangements in due course.