By Amaechi Agbo

On March 8, 2020; the thunder struck in the evening and the sun set at dawn. It was matchday 23 of the 2019/2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL. The venue of the match was Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State. The two teams were Nasarawa United and Katsina United.

Nasarawa United was the home team while Katsina United were the visitors. The stadium was filled to capacity. There was no coronavirus anywhere. But nobody knew that “death virus” was within the periphery. Inside the field.

And Chineme Martins, was the victim. He was 23. It was in the first half of the match. The governor, Engineer Sule, was seated. Tension was high. There was peace.

The home fans were singing and drumming. Chineme Martins, a solid defender, was running. Tackling. Tracking. Defending. Clearing. He was lively. Hale and hearty. All of a sudden!

He was standing alone. No player. No ball. Unprovoked. He was defending from the right side of the defence. Number 2. He was agile. Jumping and heading balls out of danger. All of a sudden!!!

It was first half. Nasarawa United were leading by 3-0. All of a sudden. Standing alone. Chineme fall heavily on the turf.

Players rushed to him. Even Fans. They surrounded him. Medical personnel too. Chineme was gasping for air. The crowd prevented him from receiving fresh air. There was no breath of fresh air for him. The ambulance was called. Sadly, the car refused to start. Was there a witch? No, pure negligence.

After several efforts, the stubborn ambulance refused to come alive. Determined to save the situation, the car, a Peugeot 406 was pushed into the field. Chineme was losing it. Attempts to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) also failed. Attempts to save Chineme’s life, failed.

It was devastating. Painful. Heartbreaking. Sorrowful.

But suddenly, NFF, LMC woke up. They have been taking nap. They issued orders. Formed committees. Set up panels. Investigation commenced. There was anger. There was disbelief. Regrets and mourning.

Nasarawa United, Nasarawa State FA, at the end of the investigations, were found culpable. They were punished.

“Nasarawa United FC, late Chineme Martins’ club, had neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist, with a retired community health assistant heading its medical team, and this led to the mismanagement of the resuscitation process; there was no functional ambulance at the stadium as at the time of the incident, which led to a faulty evacuation process, and the player died before he could reach the hospital and; Nasarawa FA and Nasarawa United FC failed in their duties to put in place emergency medical services for the match,” the Adhoc Committee on Safety and Security, set upby the NFF to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of Nasarawa United player, Chineme Martins during an NPFL game in Lafia on 8th March 2020, said.

Consequently, “The Nasarawa FA should be temporarily suspended from hosting all NFF-organized matches (including domestic league matches) until some clearly stated conditions are met. The player must be immortalized. Nasarawa United FC should pay a fine of N10million to the LMC for non-compliance with Club Licensing Regulations and violation of NPFL Framework and Rules, and should pay all financial entitlements of the late Martins immediately, including arrears of salaries and insurance benefits, if any,” the report added.

One Year After

One year after this sad situation, one year after Chineme Martins lost his life on duty as a player in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL; he is forgotten.

He is forgotten by those who should have cared for him. He is forgotten by those he trusted but who disappointed him.

As football followers in the country remember Chineme Martins ONE YEAR AFTER, it is shocking and disappointing that those vested with t he powers and authority to oversee our football and sports development generally saw no reason to at least pay tribute to this great young baller who passed on under avoidable and preventable death.

From the ministry of youth and sports under Sunday Dare; Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and the League Management Company, LMC – the body responsible for the organising and administering the league – the story is the same –  deafening silence.  

By keeping silence over this devastating event in the history of the NPFL, the ministry of youth and sports, the NFF as well as the LMC are all culpable in perpetuating the culture of negligence hovering over our leagues.

Sadly also, Nasarawa United, his parent club, failed to commemorate him on his date of death. A release to this effect, made available on Tuesday morning was backed dated to coincide with March 8.

“Henceforth, from March 14th 2020, no league match would take place without paramedics personnel and necessary equipment as provided for in the NFF Club licensing Regulations. This decision was reached to ensure prompt response in the event of any incident during matches,” the minister of youth and sports, Sunday Dare had said.

Adding “We don’t want any avoidable deaths in our match venues or any other sports for that matter.

“Under the arrangement, all match commissioners, host State FAs are to inspect all medical facilities at match venues, test-run it to confirm that they are working before the commencement of any league game.” Sadly, one year later, Chineme Martins is forgotten. Remembered no more by those who should have done the needful.

Lobi Stars Set The Pace

Lobi Stars Football Club in a condolence message to the Nasarawa United recreated the humanity in our fraternity as a football family.

In a release Tuesday signed by the club’s image maker, Austin Tyowua, the club said “8th March, 2020, in match day 23 of the aborted NPFL  2019/2020, between Nasarawa United and Katsina United, Nasarawa United tragically lost a defense ace Chineme Martins, who collapsed and died on the pitch.”

This is calling on the minister of youth and sports, Sunday Dare, the President, NFF, Amaju Pinnick and the Alhaji Shehu Dikko, LMC boss to without dilly-dallying do the needful.

If Nigeria can commemorate the like of late Sam Okwara who died while on national duty in 1989, there is also need for them to accord late Chineme Martins his posthumous respect.

May labours and patriotic feats of our heroes past never be in vain.

Chineme Martins, to lie in the hearts of those who love you, is not to die.