Adeboye mourns the passing Of former Smart City FC, COO, Alhaji Olawoye

Adeboye mourns the passing Of former Smart City FC, COO, Alhaji Olawoye

..As family holds 8 days prayer on Friday 

By Akeem Busari 

The football community was last week thrown into mourning moods on the shock passing of Alhaji Kamaldeen Adio Olawoye, a former footballer, coach and chief operating officer of Lagos based NNL side,  Smart City FC. 

Still reeling on the death of his close ally, the founder and president of Smart City FC, Hon. Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye, remarked with fond memories the immense contributions of the former football administrator to the growth and development of the team.

"As the founder of Smart City FC, I join the football community, friends, associates and the family of the late Alhaji Kamaldeen Adio Olawoye, popularly known as Lobito/120 Goals, in mourning a great football administrator and friend of our club.

"Kamaldeen was an important part of the Smart City FC journey. As our former Chief Operating Officer, he contributed immensely to the growth of the club and the development of young footballers. His years of service, loyalty and institutional knowledge will remain part of our history.

"Even after stepping away from active responsibilities due to age, he remained a valued member of the Smart City family. His passing is therefore a deeply painful loss to all of us.

"When we received the news of his death while the team was preparing for training at the National Stadium, Lagos, we immediately suspended the session and proceeded to the hospital to identify with his family. At that moment, football stopped it was about one of our own," Adeboye, who is the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports, recalled emotionally. 

“Kamaldeen gave Smart City many years of his life. He was part of our journey, and there are chapters in the history of Smart City that his name will always be attached to. His story is now part of our story.”

Adeboye went on to rally members of the football community, former players, coaches, administrators, friends and associates to join the family of the deceased at his Eight-Day Fidau Prayer as they pray for his soul and honour his memory, at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, on Friday, August 14, 2026.

"May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus, while giving his family the strength to bear this great loss," he further prayed.