Sebastian Brodericks Imasuen, the man behind Nigeria’s success story at the maiden FIFA/Kodak U-16 World Cup in China in 1985 when he led some Nigerian youngsters to lift a world soccer tournament for the first time in history, is presently lying prostrate in his modest home situated at 10 Omozogie Street, Off Jemide Street in GRA, Benin City.
Now a few months to becoming 83 years old, the ex-national football coach can no longer relive those glory days as he is battling memory loss(amnesia) for which he did a brain scan last December and needs to do another scan but which his wife, Helen, is scared of doing as she believes that the first scan must have inadvertently contributed to the complication of his situation.
Brodericks Imasuen now stays indoors for most part of the day and needs his wife’s support to carry out what is considered minor assignments like eating and easing himself. He can barely piece together a few words before digressing into other discussions so Helen on this bright morning took up his interesting and heart wrenching story of neglect by those who should know better how to treat a man of such memorable achievements which include scoring the winning goal in the Bendel Insurance of Benin historic triumph over Mighty Jets of at the final of the 1972 Challenge Cup played in Ibadan.
She recalled that her husband’s health challenges have been manageable until some time last December when it triggered off to the present sorry state.
A baker, Helen had to park it all up when she was not able to give the business the attention it deserves and thus her workers were short-changing her. She now reverted to taking good care of her ailing husband.
“It is not easy to get him to do an interview. He may want to tell you something then he will suddenly digress to say other things that are irrelevant.”
Helen recalled that the whole thing took a worsening dimension sometime last December when he exhibited signs of complication in his health condition like forgetfulness and incoherence when talking.
She disclosed that he did tests like sugar test, eye test etc but out of fear was not enthusiastic about doing the brain scan that the doctor recommended. She recalled that some few years ago when he suffered a partial stroke he did a brain scan which must have played a part in the subsequent complication of his health condition.
Asked if there has been any support so far from any quarters to find a solution to the health challenge she said that there has been none apart from promises made by some of his former players like Precious Monyei, Olusegun Fetuga, Jide Oguntuase, Kayode Keshinro and Oliver Ndigwe to reach out to others so as to get their support.
It would be recalled that after the milestone achievements of Sebastian Brodericks Imasuen and his players in China the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari promised the contingent heaven on earth. The time to fulfill that promise for the award winning coach is now.
