The boxing community has been inundated with condolences for late Nigerian instructor Jeremiah “Jerry” Okorodudu, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 64 at a Lagos private hospital.
At the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, Okorodudu fought as a representative of Nigeria in the middleweight division.
At the Oluyole 1979 National Sports Festival in Ibadan, he won a gold medal for the former Bendel State.
A WhatsApp group called Family United By Sports paid the hospital’s outstanding N600,000 amount, allowing it to release Okorodudu’s body to his family.
The group’s coordinator, Godwin Enakhena, claimed that FUBS raised the funds required for the corpse’s release within minutes of learning of his passing.
“We were supposed to raise the money for the operation, but we got the information too late and it’s quite unfortunate,” he told The ANAEDOONLINE.
“When we heard that he died yesterday (Wednesday) night, we quickly raised the money needed within five minutes and we paid the sum of N600,000 directly into the hospital’s account number for the release of his corpse to his wife,” Enakhena said.
Olympian Okorodudu Dies, Hospital Seizes Corpse Over Unpaid N.6m
Technical Assistant to the NBF Babatunde Laguda paid tributes to the late boxing icon.
“He is a great loss to the boxing world. He has tried; he contributed as a boxer and as a coach. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.
The Vice President, Nigeria Boxing Federation, Azania Omo-Agege, stated, “First of all, we deeply regret the passing of one of our own, Jeremiah Okorodudu.
“All of us are actually really distraught about the passing of Jerry.”
The Africa Boxing Confederation Vice President told The ANAEDOONLINE of their plans to aid the family in giving Okorodudu a worthy burial.
“We reached out to the wife of our ex-champ, and she has told us that they are working on the burial arrangements. So, once the burial arrangements have been confirmed, then I can assure you that the NBF would do everything to give him a befitting burial.”
The President, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, Rafiu Ladipo, also lauded the fallen ex-pugilist.
“As a professional boxer, he did so well for himself and his country.
“We will pay the family a visit and do whatever is necessary to help them,” Ladipo told The PUNCH.
President, West Africa Boxing Union, Remi Aboderin, added, “It is unfortunate that he died this way, and I am actually lost for words. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.
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