Saburi Adeniji, a Nigerian footballer and left winger for Kings Park Rangers Football Club, has died after battling a severe brain stem injury.
In a Saturday statement announcing his death, the club said Adeniji, popularly known as Ola, passed away on Friday morning, noting that he held on until after arrangements were made for his family to travel to the United Kingdom.
“It is with great sadness that we must announce our number 17 Saburi Adeniji ‘Ola’ passed away yesterday morning.
“He fought so hard to still be here for when his family arrived. His wife and daughter, unfortunately, arrived this morning, a day late,” the club said.
The club described the late footballer as a devoted family man and a valued member of the team.
“He will always be a King. He will always be loved. As a friend, as a dad, as a husband, as a brother and as a son,” the statement added.
Adeniji’s death comes weeks after Kings Park Rangers had appealed publicly for prayers and financial support following his admission into intensive care.
On January 17, the club disclosed that the winger was bedridden, announcing that all matches would be put on hold to allow the team support him.
“We are asking everyone to pray for our left winger Saburi Adeniji (Ola). All Kings Park Rangers games will be on hold as we look to support him at his bedside until he is better,” the club stated.
As his condition worsened, the club unveiled a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to bring his wife and young daughter from Nigeria to the UK.
In a detailed statement published on the GoFundMe website, Kings Park Rangers revealed that Adeniji was admitted into intensive care on January 15, 2026, at Queen’s Hospital, where doctors later confirmed the severity of his condition.
“Saburi was admitted to Intensive Care on 15 January 2026 and is under the care of the Critical Care Department at Queen’s Hospital.
“According to his consultant in critical care, his condition has continued to deteriorate, and he is now considered to be imminently dying.
“Due to the severity of his injury, Saburi has been medically classified as brain dead,” the club said.
The statement explained that recent changes in UK medical law delayed the withdrawal of life support, pending further assessments, creating a narrow window for his family to travel.
“The hospital has compassionately allowed a short window of time to enable Saburi’s family to travel to the UK so they may be with him before he passes naturally on life support or life support is withdrawn,” it added.
The fundraising campaign was launched to cover emergency visa processing, flights, accommodation and living expenses for his wife and daughter, who were based in Nigeria.
Adeniji is survived by his wife and a four-year-old daughter.
The club said beyond facilitating family reunification, funds raised would also support his wife and help secure his daughter’s education and wellbeing.
“Saburi leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter, whom he adored. He worked tirelessly to provide for his family and was deeply committed to giving his daughter a good education and a better future,” the statement read.
Kings Park Rangers called on the football community to rally around the bereaved family, describing the loss as devastating.
“This is a moment for the football world to come together — players, clubs, teammates, supporters and friends,” the club said.
