The Oyo State Government has described the death of Joseph Ladipo, the former Super Falcons coach and immediate past Chairman of Shooting Stars Board, as a big loss to the state and the nation.
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The state Commissioner for Sports, Mr Dapo Lam- Adeshina, said in Ibadan that Ladipo, popularly called "Jossy Lad,'' was a legend who contributed a lot to the development of football.
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He said it was sad that the Ladipo died at the time he was recuperating from a protracted illness.
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The commissioner said that the state government and well meaning Nigerians did a lot to ensure that the ailment was tackled.
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"We ensured that he was taken to University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for proper medical care and visited him severally.
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"It is sad that death eventually took him at the time his health was improving,'' Lam-Adeshina said.
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He said the landmark achievements of the deceased would be hard to erase being the first player to lift the club's continental trophy for Nigeria as WNDC captain in 1976.
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The commissioner said that Ladipo also served excellently as the coach of Shooting Stars and managed the club as Chairman of the Board.