Nigeria Mourns as 1980 AFCON Hero Henry Nwosu Dies at 62

By Johnson Arua

Nigeria’s football community has been thrown into mourning following the death of former Super Eagles midfielder Henry Nwosu, who passed away at the age of 62.

The news was announced on Saturday morning by his former teammate and fellow 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Segun Odegbami, in a Facebook post. According to Odegbami, Nwosu died around 4:00 a.m. at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit since Wednesday.

Odegbami revealed that the former midfielder had spent five days in the hospital battling for his life before passing away in the early hours of Saturday. He described the loss with deep emotion, paying tribute to the football legend he fondly called the “Youngest Millionaire.”

Nwosu made history as the youngest member of Nigeria’s squad that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, when the then Nigeria national football team—popularly known as the Green Eagles—secured the country’s first continental title on home soil.

His passing comes just days after the death of another Nigerian football great, Adegboye Onigbinde, a former Super Eagles coach who led Nigeria to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Onigbinde died on March 9 at the age of 88.

Both Nwosu and Onigbinde were influential figures in the Green Eagles setup during the 1980s, with Onigbinde serving as head coach of the national team between 1982 and 1984.

At club level, Nwosu featured for several Nigerian teams, including New Nigeria Bank F.C. and Stationery Stores F.C.. After hanging up his boots, he remained active in the game, dedicating his time to coaching and youth football development.

His death marks another painful loss for Nigerian football, as fans and former colleagues remember a player who helped shape one of the nation’s most historic sporting triumphs.