Family Cries For Help As Belarusian Club Threaten To Bury Late Nigeria Striker In Foreign Land

Family Cries For Help As Belarusian Club Threaten To Bury Late Nigeria Striker In Foreign Land By Niyi Busari The family of Kelvin Odenigbo, a Nigerian footballer, who died in a lake in Belarus early June, has expressed doubt over the club’s report about the footballer’s death, BSNSports.com.ng gathered. On Saturday, June 5, 2021, according to the club, the body of Odenigbo, who joined Belarusian top side FC Vitebsk, was found in the Beloye Lake in the Vitebsk region. The distraught family remained confused as the Belarusian club issued a two-week ultimatum to conclude arrangement on how his remains would get to Nigeria. The club threatened to bury the former NAF FC striker in the foreign land after two weeks if the family failed to meet up with the deadline on how his body would be transported to Nigeria. "We have no access to a detailed report about how he ended up in a lake and what happened." Jude Odenigbo, Kelvin elder brother told BSN Sports “We are told that he was with his teammates when the incident happened, he never left their sight and right now we don’t know what led to his death.” He continued, “Who was with him? How did he end up in a lake? Who were the last people to see him? Was there a fight, disagreement or anything that happened. This is the information that could help shed more light on what happened to Kelvin.” “We only read on the internet that there was an autopsy report but so far they have not shared it with us.” he added. “The club and embassy told us that it is our (family) responsibility to get his body to Nigeria. We would have loved to do so because his death and life belongs to us but we don’t have such an amount to transport his remains to Nigeria. And up till this moment there’s no headway. The family is in serious agony, he said while crying for help.” Meanwhile, the Club doctors said an autopsy found “no violent marks on the body and there are no traces of alcohol in Kelvin’s blood.” When contacted, his former club in Nigeria from 2017 to 2020, the Nigeria Air Force FC (NAF FC) said he was declared AWOL when he didn’t report to camp from the beginning of the 2020/21 Nigeria National League season and no one knew his whereabouts. “Kelvin has been employed as a soldier with Nigeria Air Force since 2018 and since the beginning of the 2020/21 NNL season we didn’t know where he was until we read in the newspaper that he’s dead,” a source in the team management who pleaded anonymity told BSN Sports. In fact, NAF has declared him wanted and should be arrested anywhere he’s found before the sad news.” Body still in Belarus But, 40 days on, Kelvin’s body according to the family is still in Belarus with both the club and Nigeria embassy saying they are not responsible for transporting his remains. “The family decision is to have him buried in his home town in Enugu,” Jude said. He continued, “My younger brother (who is playing at Kano Pillars) told me that Babawo (the agent that got him the Belarusian club deal) suggested to him that since he is playing football that it will be wise for him to travel to Belarus for the burial and after that continue from where Kelvin stopped. But that can’t be possible. He accused the player agent, Babawo and the Belarusian club of not doing enough in helping the family repatriate the body to Nigeria. “From my own point of view, Babawo and the club that transferred my brother have not done enough, because they have left almost everything for the family. Babawo rarely calls us or even takes a call from us, to know how far we have gone. Mr Eddy Ofere is the man that sponsored his trip to Belarus, on his own, he has been helping out too.” However, a top official with direct knowledge of the situation at Vitebsk confirmed to BBC that the club is working to gather more information and to repatriate the body of Odenigbo to his native country. “We spoke to his agent to give us time because we are waiting for the Nigerian high commission for the right documents,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The initial autopsy report has not been seen by the family, even though the club said that “it was a drowning accident that shocked us all,” Jude said. Meanwhile, the footballer’s manager in Nigeria, Eddy Ofere, has questioned the official version of the death of his late client. “I spoke with Kelvin on Friday, 4th of June at 16:08 for two minutes and 11 seconds,” Ofere explained. “It was a bit loud when he called and he told me that he was at a hangout with his teammates, because it was a free day for the players. We chatted about how he should keep up the hard work and fully establish himself in the starting 11.” “By Saturday afternoon, I got a message from my partner [an agent] based in Belarus saying he’s been informed that Kelvin was in coma and on oxygen. He said we should all pray for him to pull through.” “It’s shocking to then read on the website that his body was found in a lake. How is that possible? From being in coma and on oxygen to ending up drowned in a lake.” “Something just isn’t right about that version and we would all appreciate the truth about what really happened to Kelvin.” Although, Jude on behalf of the family had written to the Belarusian club to allow Princely Olisa, chairman of the Nigerian community in Belaru who is in the country to represent the family interest. Olisa said he and officials of the country’s high commission in the region were working to get answers for the families. But Jude said he could not understand why the Nigerian embassy in Moscow – responsible for the country’s affairs in Belarus – is slow to respond to the death of a Nigerian citizen. “We’ve been waiting [since his death] for them to act swiftly, but their response has been slowly disappointing,” Jude added. But not too convinced by the story told by the club, Kelvin’s elder brother, Jude Odenigbo who spoke with BSN Sports said: “The story by the club that Kelvin died in a lake is still not clear to the family”. “We know too well that Kelvin will never go near a stream, ocean or lake because he had a phobia for water since his childhood following the death of his brother in the similar situation,” Jude added. “Now we have no closure, something happened to a Nigerian [Kelvin] since June 5 and it’s still dragging on.” “We have mandated that his body should be brought to Enugu international Airport in Nigeria.” “The family is calling on the Nigerian government, well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to come to our aid in our quest for the truth.” Meanwhile, documents seen by BSN Sports revealed that Kelvin Odenigbo was transferred by TBC FC of Abuja on a free nine months loan to the club in Belarus. The investigation revealed further that, if within the nine months the club wants to keep him, they will pay Seven thousand dollars ($7,000) for the services and sign him permanently (the $7,000 covers return tickets, visas and other expenses by TBC on the player). But, they will pay 35 percent of the amount he’s being sold to TBC if the player is sold to another club next year and if he is sold in two years, then, they will get 30 per cent. But, if the player was scouted from another club by TBC, it’s this percentage (35%) they will share between them and the club they scouted him from. Before his death, nothing has been paid to the Club, TBC FC. When contacted, TBC FC the club that sold him to Vitebsk confirmed they have not received a dime on the deceased and were only waiting for the season to end before ‘cashing out’. They denied not doing enough as claimed by Kelvin family. The official instead blamed Kelvin family of doing things without their knowledge. He said that they wrote letters to the club several times without carrying the club along. Kelvin Odenigbo scored 8 goals in 11 appearances for Vitebsk.