•Kadiri Ikhana on hospital bed
A top member of the history-making Nigeria’s national team, the Green Eagles (now Super Eagles) and former coach of the Falcons, Kadiri Ikhana, has been “gravely ill” and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of a specialist hospital in Auchi, Edo State, last week.
•Kadiri Ikhana
A colleague of the football legend, Segun Odegbami, disclosed this in a post late last night on his social media page sighted by The Frontier.
According “Mathematical Odegbami”, after spending three agonising days on sick bed, “Kawawa” (as Kadiri Ikhana was nicknamed in his hay days in the national squad) “miraculously” bounced back to life and was discharged after receiving treatment and undergoing full medical tests with all his medical bills settled by the Edo State government.
The post read: “Details on Kadiri Ikhana!
“I need to put this out before I sleep tonight in order to clear the air on the state of things with Kadiri’s health. I have his blessing to do so.
“That ‘Kawawa’ is back on his feet is true and nothing short of a miracle.
“Yesterday, Kadiri Ikhana, MON, my Green Eagles colleague that I reported was gravely ill last week, was kept in the ICU of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital for 3 days. He recovered quickly and was discharged after receiving treatment and undergoing full medical tests.
“All his medical bills were settled by the Edo State government.
“This morning, I spoke to him. The preliminary medical report of the various tests conducted was handed over to him, and he was asked to report back to the hospital in 3 weeks time for further tests.
“He assures me that he is getting better everyday, even as he still ‘wears’ a catheter underneath his robes, and is on some very serious medications.
“He was cheerful and very grateful to all those that came to support him morally, physically, financially and spiritually.
“He wants me to thank all Nigerians for their shower of love and prayers.
“This morning, with the approval of his elder brother, his sisters, and some of his children that are with him now, he tells me he is temporarily leaving Auchi and moving straight to Abuja to get better rest, and to continue with his treatment.
“As I write this, close to midnight, Kadiri has arrived Abuja safely.
“In the picture taken just before noon today, Kadiri is standing next to his eldest sister and her husband (Pastor and Mrs Jonathan Abioye) in Lokoja, on his way to Abuja.
“On behalf of the entire Ikhana family, Kadiri’s siblings and his children (abroad and in Nigeria, that have all being in touch with me), we thank the Creator of the Universe, the Government of Edo State, his friends, particularly Shettima, Hon Austin Braimoh, Chief Peter Dunia, and several other concerned Nigerians that rose up to support and pray for him,” Odegbami said.
The Frontier reports that five Nigerian sports heroes, including former Green Eagles Captain, Christian Chukwu, have died in the past six months.
A special event tagged, ‘Night of Tributes’, has been planned to honour these heroes who did the country proud in their lifetime.
The event which will hold in Lagos on Sunday, August 28, 2025 is sponsored by Air Peace.
