By Uzor Odigbo
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has learned with shock and sadness the untimely death of veteran athletics coach, Adu Uruemu.
Uruemu, head coach at Arena Athletics Academy, died on Sunday, May 10, 2020 in Lagos after complaining of headache. He was aged 54.
In a statement made available on Monday, AFN president, Olamide George, said Uruemu’s death has devastated the athletics family in Nigeria.
“This is a very sad moment for track and field in Nigeria. We are still struggling to get over the passing of coaches Tobias Igwe and John Obeya. Now death has dealt us in the athletics family another blow.
“Coach Uruemu was more than a coach to his athletes. He was a father and a mentor and very helpful to all athletes. He was an optimist and championed the cause of development of athletics in Nigeria.
“Until his death, he was the Secreatry General of Nigerian Athletics Masters,” said George who recalled that coach Uruemu produced a lot of Nigerian athletics talents, some of who are already in the United States to further their education and career.
Sprinter cum jumper, Ruth Usoro is one of the athletes Uruemu produced for Nigeria. Ruth is fourth in the Nigerian all-time indoor list for long jump after leaping to a new 6.57m personal best last February.
She is also one of the track and field athletes adopted in the adopt-a-talent programme by the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare in preparation for the 2020 Olympics.
Coach Uruemu also coached long jumper, Omoshola Omolayo, who is also on a track and field scholarship in the USA, George added.
Uruemu, a former sprinter cum quartermiler also trained sprinters Bamidele Taiwo, David Sule
and Okey Ezuika to national stardom and was behind the success story of Nkem Ezealah, the young athlete who died from a car crash a few years ago.
The AFN president says the federation will send a condolence message to the family of coach Uruemu and prayed that God grants the family the fortitude to bear the great and irreparable loss.