A talented footballer Earnest Peremobowei aged 31, has died at Yenebelebiri community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
The footballer died after saving five other occupants of a a boat that capsized as a result of the strong current of the raging flood.
His body which was found two day after had since been deposited in the Federal Medical Centre Morgue, Yenagoa.
The late footballer is survived by a wife, three children and his parents.
A source told the Network that the late Peremobowei was on his way to Yenebelebiri community in company of five other persons when the boat in which they were traveling ran into m the Yenagoa Jetty Barge and capsized.
A youngerbrother to the deceased, Ernest Komboye, who confirmed the incident, said the brother died of exhaustion after saving five occupants of the boat.
He said they were trying to cross over to the Yenebelebiri community to check the level of devastation to their houses and farmlands when the sad incident occurred .
The late footballer, was the joint top scorer at this year’s Bayelsa Governor Football Tournament, otherwise known as the Prosperity Cup, where he scored nine goals for Ibebelebiri community in the competition.
Meanwhile, organisers of the Prosperity Cup, through it’s Director General, Mr Ono Akpe, has commiserated with the family of the deceased, describing it as a sad tale for the football community in Bayelsa and Nigeria as a whole.
Mr Akpe who recounted the skills and passion of the late footballer who also played for Dreams Academy at the last State FA Cup finals, said the state has lost one of its brightest future stars to the devastating flood.
The Director General commiserated with the family of Ernest, his teammates and officials of Dreams Academy, as well as the entire football community in the state, as he prayed that God should grant the immediate family, the fortitude to bear the loss describing him as a hero.
“This is really sad for me. Ernest was a very good player. We saw his exploits at the last Prosperity Cup where he scored nine goals. Even at the finals of the FA Cup against Bayelsa United, he scored a beautiful goal. He is one player we wished realised his dream of playing for bigger teams.His exploits and bravery is exemplary. The fact that he saved five persons before succumbing to the raging flood is indeed quite unfortunate.
“On behalf of the organizers, I sympathize with the family, his teammates, the football community, the Sports Ministry, the State Government, and all those who knew him in anyway. He was indeed a hero”
“I pray God to bless his gentle soul, and also give the family the strength to bear the irreplaceable loss.”
Mr Akpe, however, commended the state government led by Senator Douye Diri, for his proactive steps in reaching out to victims affected by the ravaging flood, and doing everything humanly possible to mitigate the effect of the flood on the people.
He called on the Federal Government , International Agencies, organisations and well meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the state.
He stressed that the effects of the devastating floods is more than any state can handle single handedly.