Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, the first indigenous coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles and one of the most decorated tacticians in the country’s football history, has been declared dead.
The statement was issued on behalf of the family by Bolade Adesuyi, announcing the death of the Modakeke High Chief and one‑time Super Eagles coach. This was confirmed on Monday, 9th March, 2026.
According to the statement, he was described as a revered patriarch and a renowned figure in Nigerian football.
Although the statement did not disclose the cause of his death, it praised him as a father, husband, grandfather, great‑grandfather, brother, and friend. Onigbinde, who was 85, was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential football coaches.
He earned a German Grade A coaching licence in 1976, becoming one of the earliest Nigerian coaches to obtain such elite qualification, and later deepened his knowledge on a coaching course in Brazil in 1981 when few African coaches had such exposure.
He was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in 1982, leading the national team to the final of the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, where Nigeria finished runnersup after a narrow 3‑1 defeat to Cameroon.
Onigbinde’s tenure was also marked by strong club‑level success; in 1984, he piloted Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan to the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs (now the CAF Champions League), where they lost to Egypt’s Zamalek.
He returned to the national team in 2002 as coach for the FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, making him one of Nigeria’s few World Cup coaches, even though the team exited at the group stage.
In later years, he served in technical roles within the Nigeria Football Federation, including as Technical Director, and remained a vocal critic and commentator on coaching standards and football administration. Onigbinde is survived by his children, grandchildren, and extended family.