The minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare has described the death of the former Chairman of Shooting Stars  Football Club  of Ibadan,  Chief Bode Oyewole and a former board member of the Women  Football League Ms. Henrietta  Ukaigwe as a huge loss to Nigerian Football, their families, Nigerian  Union of Journalists NUJ, and the Sports Writers Association  of Nigeria, SWAN.

According  to a statement  by the Media office to the minister, the death of the duo of Oyewole and Ukaigwe is a big blow to Nigeria  as their death has robbed the football family of their invaluable  service and contributions.

According  to the Minister, “Nigeria  has lost two accomplished  journalists, administrators and committed individuals who did so much to uplift the standard of  Nigerian Football. While Chief Bode Oyewole  presided  over Shooting  Stars when they won the treble in 1998, Ukaigwe is known to have championed the development  of female football. They both played significant roles in positioning  Nigerian  Football  to lofty heights.

He said, “They were indeed shinning lights of not just the Journalism  profession, but football  development. Their death is not just a loss to their immediate  families  and friends, but the pen profession  and Nigeria football. They died when their services were most needed.  My deep condolences to their families, friends, NUJ, SWAN and the entire  football fraternity.  May their souls find eternal peace in the bossom of the most high God,” the statement  concluded.

Both Oyewole  and Ukaigwe died on Tuesday  July 14th , 2020. Oyewole  was a former Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists between 1978 and 1980, worked  with the Regional office of Radio Nigeria  and served as the Chief Press Secretary to late Governor  Kolapo Ishola.

Ukaigwe was  Vice  Chairman of the  Lagos State Chapter of the Sports Writers  Association of Nigeria, worked with  Vanguard  Newspapers, Minaj Broadcasting Services, and Superscreen Television. She formed the Female Football  Interest  Group that championed the  course of developing  female football  in Nigeria.