Obaseki Mourns Coach Broderick-Imasuen

BY VICTOR BUORO – Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has mourned the death of Coach Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen, describing him as a great Edo son and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished football players and coaches of all time.

Late Broderick-Imasuen was the Chief coach of the Nigerian team that won the 1985 FIFA Under-16 World Championship, the maiden edition of the tournament held in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Dalian in People’s Republic of China from July 31, 1985, to August 11, 1985.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Benin, the Edo State capital, Governor Obaseki said the news of Broderick’s passing was received with a heavy heart, noting that the late Coach distinguished himself on and off the pitch and brought a peculiar flair for football that set him apart from his contemporaries.

According to him, the Late Brodericks-Imasuen was a legend in the game of football and was renowned for his role in the development of football in Nigeria, discovering young talents and projecting them to national prominence.

“It is with a heavy heart that I received the news of the passing of a great Edo son and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished football players and coaches, Sebastian Broderick Imaseun, who passed away at the age of 85.

“Late Imaseun was a dedicated family man whose exploits as a football player and tactician knew no bounds, as he was renowned for his astuteness, discipline, boldness, and commitment to sports in our dear State and country.

“He was outspoken and fervently patriotic, he was emblematic of the indefatigable Edo spirit and was an inspiration to generations both within and beyond the world of sports.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Imaseun family, friends, and well-wishers, as well as football fans across the nation. May God grant all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”, Governor Obaseki said.

Born on July 9, 1938, in Benin City, the late Soccer tactician attended St. John’s Primary School, Onitsha, and gained admission to Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu, in 1955, where he obtained his West African Schools Certificate (WASC) in 1960.

His football career, which began early, saw him playing for the defunct Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) Football Club of Lagos and he also represented the country with the National football team that featured at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968.

He also featured for Bendel Insurance Football Club and scored a famous free kick to win the Challenge Cup for the Benin-based club side in 1972.

Coaching the national team at the 1985 inaugural FIFA U-16 World Championship in China, he led the team to beat West Germany 2–0 in the final match played in Beijing.