Ogba mourns death of ex-SCSA Secretary General, Dr Awoture Eleyae

Dr Awoture Eleyae

Former Delta state sports commissioner, Solomon Ogba has described the death of former Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA), Dr. Awoture Eleyae (OON), as a great loss to Nigeria, Africa and the world in the area of sports.

Eleyae died on Friday morning in Benin City, Edo State.

Ogba, a two-time President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and now vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), told The Guardian that the vacuum created by Eleyae’s demise would be difficult to fill.

“Dr. Eleyae laid a solid foundation for sports in Nigeria, and by extension, the continent of Africa. He inspired a lot of us into sports and he was a father to so many of us. We will surely misd him,” Ogba stated.

Eleyae, a native of Uzere, Isoko-South Council of Delta State, headed the SCSA from 1992 to 2004.

A member of his family, former Public Relations Officer of Delta Sports Commission, Mr. Sunday Edoge, had confirmed Eleyae’s death to The Guardian on Friday morning.

The late Eleyae was a member of many international professional bodies. While serving as a National Chief Track and Field Athletics coach, the late Eleyae captained the Nigerian Basketball team to the first All Africa Games in 1965.

He designed the Nigerian Institute for Sports (NIS), and became the first Principal of the Institute from 1975 to 1984. He rose to the substantive post of Deputy Director of Sports, National Sports Commission, and acted as Director General of National Sports Commission of Nigeria from February 1981 to May, 1982.

Born on April 10, 1927, the late Dr Eleyae attended the then Native Administration School (N.A.) Uzere from 1940 to 1947.

He obtained the First School Leaving Certificate in