Plateau State governor, Mr Simon Lalong and the minister of youth and sports development, Mr Sunday Dare, have expressed shock over the demise of former Super Falcons coach, ismaila Mabo, whose death was announced early Monday morning in Jos.
Lalong in a statement signed by his director of press and public affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, described the death of Coach Mabo as a great loss not only to his immediate family but to the entire people of Plateau State and Nigeria at large considering the impact he made in his sporting career and football in particular.
He said Coach Mabo in his playing days devoted his strength, energy and talent playing for many great clubs including the famous Mighty Jets FC of Jos and the national team, Green Eagles.
Sports Minister Sunday Dare on his part said Mabo’s contribution to the game is unquantifiable. “His contribution to the game is unquantifiable. He stayed long even after retirement to give back to the round leather game.”
“Pa Ismaila Mabo lived an impactful life and a special space is reserved for him when the history of Nigerian football development is written,” Dare said.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau said Nigeria has lost a great man and an accomplished trainer-of-trainers in Nigeria’s football fraternity.
“The death of Pa Ismaila Mabo came to me as a huge shock. Again, we have lost a great man and an accomplished trainer-of-trainers in the Nigeria Football fraternity, and my heart goes out to his immediate family and the other loved ones he has left behind.
“Mabo laid down a big marker for other coaches when he steered the Super Falcons to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the USA in 1999. Yet, he was simple, humble and humane. We will miss him, but we are consoled that he left giant footprints in the sands of time and pray that God will grant him eternal rest,”Gusau said.
