Covid -19, the Jealous Virus

Joe Eric was someone I adored as a

little boy. He played for my then darling club, NEPA of a Lagos and the national team.

He was both a centre forward and a goalkeeper until he broke one of his legs and then settled as a goalkeeper, only.

At a time in Nigeria, he was the pick of local coaches. He made a success of coaching Julius Berger football club of Lagos. I remember a statement by Emmanuel Osigwe of Moscow 1980 Eagles fame. Julius Berger's style of play under Joe Eric so captivated the deadly centre forward, that he expressed the wish to play for them for free.

Joe Eric was snapped up by then big spending Iwuanyanwu football club of Owerri.

Joe Eric later became a member of the coaching crew of the Super Eagles.

His death was most unfortunate. He complained of stomach ache, but the clinic to which he was taken, requested of him a Covid -19 test before treatment. And that was it, he never survived.

And so, the amiable coach that I met working as a guest sports analyst with MITV just died because Covid - 19 is now King of all ailments.

Yes, Covid -19 is King, not yours, not mine, but may Covid - 19 not come in contact with other serious ailments in the body. Should that happen, the alliance is always almost deadly.

Adieu, Joe Eric, the Jogo Bonito exponent, but for Covid -19, you may still be alive. Covid -19 has come and it will go, but Rest In Peace. Amen .