NewzBY JACOB AJOM It’s exactly 54 years today that one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers, Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun passed on in his sleep in Ibadan, western Nigeria (now Oyo state). His death, according to Kayode Balogun, one of the late footballer’s children remains a mystery. Notwithstanding, Kayode is calling on both the federal and Lagos state governments not to allow his father’s legacy to die with him.
In a chat with this reporter, he recalled in graphic detail how his father died. “When he got back home from work, the evening before his demise,” Kayode started, “ he was in his usual self, ebullient and cheerful. After dinner, we all went to bed; no complaints.
Early in the morning, we were woken up by a loud scream from dad’s bedroom. When we rushed to the bedroom to find out what happened, we saw mom just screaming and pointing at our daddy, lying still on the bed. A few neighbours came in after hearing mom’s scream.
She called a doctor who came in moments later and confirmed that our father was dead. Later they took the body to the morgue. Till date we still don’t know what killed him.” He was 45.
Teslim Balogun was married to Alhaja Mulikat Abike Balogun, a former table tennis player. They wedded in 1955 before joining him in London in 1956 while he played for Queens Park Rangers. Balogun was Nigeria’s foremost footballer whose exploits were legendary.
Apart from playing the game, he was also a coach. As a striker, Teslim was famous for his fearsome, powerful shot that earned him the nickname ‘Thunder’. Balogun also played for the Nigerian national team for 12 years and a member of the famous UK Tourists.
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