Nigeria national team captain Wilfred Ndidi is mourning the death of his father, Sunday Ndidi, who died on Tuesday following a road traffic accident in Umunede, Delta State.
Reports indicate that the deceased, a retired military officer, was involved in the accident and was rushed to a hospital in Agbor, where he was later confirmed dead.
Ndidi’s club side, Beşiktaş, officially announced the loss in a statement shared on their verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our footballer Wilfred Ndidi’s esteemed father, Sunday Ndidi, in a fatal traffic accident,” the club said.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Wilfred Ndidi, his family, and loved ones.”
Recent National Team Milestone
The tragic news comes shortly after Ndidi captained the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. During the tournament, the midfielder scored his first international goal for Nigeria, a headed effort against Tunisia in the group stage.
While celebrating that goal, Ndidi paid tribute to his father with a gesture inspired by former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu.
“The celebration came from my dad because he was always talking about Kanu Nwankwo,” Ndidi explained to journalists during the competition.
“I said I was going to do it for my dad.”
Ndidi, who was born and raised in Lagos, has frequently spoken about growing up with his father in the military barracks and the influence that upbringing had on his discipline and football career.
As of the time of this report, the family has not announced burial arrangements. Condolence messages have continued to pour in from fans, teammates, and football stakeholders across Nigeria and beyond.
Source: Africa Publicity
