Bobsam Elejiko

Bob Elejiko

Personal information
Full name	Bobsam Elejiko
Date of birth	18 August 1981
Place of birth	Lagos, Nigeria
Date of death	13 November 2011 (aged 30)
Place of death	Merksem, Belgium
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
	Stationary Stores
1999–2000	Málaga
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2000–2001	Wacker Nordhausen
2001–2003	Turnhout	42	(0)
2003–2007	Westerlo	71	(2)
2007–2008	Royal Antwerp	32	(0)
2008	S.C. Beira-Mar
2009	Deinze
2009–2010	Red Star Waasland
2011	K. Merksem S.C.
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:00, 18 August 2007 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

Bobsam 'Bob' Elejiko (18 August 1981 – 13 November 2011) was a Nigerian footballer. He played as a central defender for several domestic teams between 2000 and 2011 before his death on the field during a football match.

Football career

During his career, spent almost exclusively in Belgium, Elejiko represented FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen, K.V. Turnhout, K.V.C. Westerlo, Royal Antwerp FC, S.C. Beira-Mar, K.M.S.K. Deinze, K.V. Red Star Waasland and K. Merksem S.C..

In 2008 he had trials with FC Carl Zeiss Jena,^[1] Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham and RBC Roosendaal, but did not gain a contract with any club.

Death

Elejiko collapsed while playing a fifth-tier match with his team K. Merksem S.C. against F.C. Kaart, a team from Merksem, Antwerp, on 13 November 2011.^[2] Despite resuscitation attempts pitch side, Elejiko was pronounced dead and the match was abandoned. The cause was later determined to be a traumatic rupture of the aorta.^[3]

References

1. Probespieler Elejiko keine Alternative für Jena (On-trial Elejiko no alternative for Jena) (German)
2. Ex-Westerlo-speler Elejiko (30) overleden (Dutch)
3. Nigerian player Bobsam Elejiko dies in Belgium from BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2011.

External links

• Voetbal International profile (Dutch)
• Bobsam Elejiko at footballzz.co.uk