SUPER Eagles of Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, Sunday, died in a road accident today in Delta State, it has been confirmed.
The late Sunday Ndidi, said to be a retired military officer, was involved in the tragic crash in Umunede, Delta State.
He was rushed to a hospital in Agbor, also in Delta State, where he was confirmed dead.
Besiktas, the Turkish club Ndidi currently plays for, confirmed the tragedy today in an official statement on their social media accounts.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi’s esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident,” the Super Lig club said.
“May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our condolences to our footballer Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”
Ndidi’s tragic accident is the second such road crash to affect a high-profile Nigerian sportsman in the past one month.
In December, British-Nigerian former world boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua lost two of his closest friends and associates in a car crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on their way to his hometown Sagamu in Ogun State.
Incidentally, Wilfred Ndidi had mentioned his father while celebrating a goal at the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles finished third.
Explaining his Nwankwo Kanu-like celebration, Ndidi said: “The celebration came from my dad because he was always talking about Kanu.
“So I just thought about my dad. I had seen the video before, but it came to my head, and I said I was going to do it for my dad.”