The Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has described as painful and shocking the unexpected death of former Super Eagles player, Mr Thompson Oliha (MON).

Governor Ahmed in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba also described Mr Thompson Oliha as a footballer who excelled in the national colours during the Super Eagles glorious era of the 1990s.

Dr Ahmed recalled that Late Oliha was part of the 1994 generation of the Super Eagles that won the African Nations Cup in Tunisia and Nigeria’s first appearance at the World Cup in the United States of America the same year.

Governor Ahmed asserted that Thompson Oliha’s passion for the development of football made him become a coach through which he contributed his quota to the development of the Kwara State Football Academy in Ilorin.

The Governor added that though the death of Mr Thompson Oliha remains eternally painful, football fraternity in particular and Nigerians at large should take solace in the fact that he belonged to the class of Nigerians who projected the image of the country at the international stage.

“Undoubtedly, Oliha belongs to the class of Nigerians who have etched their names in the national consciousness through commitment to national good, thus he will not be forgotten by generations to come”, the governor asserted.

He prayed God to grant the Oliha family and Nigerian at large the fortitude to bear the loss”.