By Sola Ojewusi
Nigeria’s football community has been thrown into mourning following the death of legendary former Super Eagles midfielder Henry Nwosu, a key member of the historic squad that won the 1980 African Cup of Nations, the country’s first continental football title.
Nwosu reportedly died at about 4:00 a.m. on Saturday (today) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, after spending five days in intensive care battling for his life. The news of his passing was conveyed by former national team captain Segun Odegbami, who paid an emotional tribute to his former teammate.
In a brief statement, Odegbami wrote:
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON… After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 am.”
The nickname “Youngest Millionaire” was famously given to Nwosu by Odegbami following Nigeria’s triumph at the 1980 Nations Cup, where the midfielder was the youngest member of the victorious Green Eagles squad that defeated Algeria 3–0 in the final in Lagos.
Born on June 14, 1963, Nwosu rose to prominence as one of Nigeria’s most gifted midfielders during the 1980s. Renowned for his dazzling dribbling skills, vision, and technical brilliance, he earned about 60 caps for the Nigerian national team, scoring eight goals between 1980 and 1991.
Beyond the historic 1980 AFCON victory, Nwosu represented Nigeria at multiple international tournaments. He played in the 1984 and 1988 African Cup of Nations finals, both of which Nigeria narrowly lost to Cameroon, and also scored Nigeria’s only goal at the 1980 Olympic Games.
At club level, the midfield maestro featured prominently for New Nigeria Bank (NNB) FC of Benin City and African Continental Bank (ACB) FC of Lagos, before stints with ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire and Racing FC Bafoussam of Cameroon during a career that spanned the late 1970s to the early 1990s.
After hanging up his boots, Nwosu ventured into coaching and administration. He served in several technical roles, including assistant coach of the Nigerian team that won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and later handled clubs such as Union Bank FC and Gateway United.
In recognition of his contribution to Nigerian football, he was awarded the national honour Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
Tributes have begun to pour in from former teammates, football administrators, and fans across the country, many remembering Nwosu as a graceful playmaker whose skill and creativity lit up Nigerian football in its golden era.
With his passing, Nigeria loses one of the heroes who laid the foundation for the country’s modern football achievements.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family in the coming days.
