‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, Ex-Green Eagles Captain is dead
Former Green Eagles’ Captain and Coach ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu has passed on, www.sentinelnewsng.com reports.
The news of the exit of the soccer legend and defence marshal was released by his former team mate and friend, ”Mathematical’ Segun Odegbami, who lamented his demise.
“I just got received the news of that between 9.00 and 10.00 today that Chairman Christian Chukwu, MFR, my blossom friend and team mate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s soccer history, former captain and Coach of Nigeria’s national has passed on.
He continues; “Babule, Emmanuel Okala, MON gave me the sad news a few minutes ago.”
Dr .Olusegun Odegbami, MON, who served the nation alongside the deceased mourned this: “May ‘Onyim’ find peace with our Creator in Heaven, and console the family.”
It would be recalled that Chukwu, who came to football limelight became famous for his defensive role on the pitch while serving, Enugu Rangers fc, a dread soccer outfit founded in the late 1960s to assuage the pains of the Biafra Civil War among the Igbos.
The Soccer Warlord, who led the Rangers International of Enugu to conquer several battles on the field of play, won many laurels for both his team and Nigeria.
As the Captain of Rangers, ‘Chairman’ Chukwu played a pivotal role in 1977, when his team wrestled the African Cup Winner’s Cup earlier won by Shooting Stars fc of Ibadan in 1976.
Apart from that, Chukwu also led the Rangers International to capture both Challenge Cup and National League at one time of the other.
With these exploits at the Enugu soccer outfit, the deceased who bagged national call-up to the Green Eagles’ alongside team mates like Emmanuel Okala, Christian Madu, Stanley Okoronkwo among others equally moved to nation team where he played the leadership role.
As footballer of note, he led Nigeria to clinch the coveted African Cup Nations hosted by Nigeria in 1980.
Among the players who achieved the victory with Chukwu then were late Ojebode, Allosyius Atuegbu, late Mudashiru Lawal, Felix Owolabi, Adokye Amasiameka, Jonny Orlando and Loathes Boateng.
Also as a coach, Chukwu who coached the Enugu Rangers at one time of the other got the invitation to the Super Eagles Technical Crew, where he assisted the Dutch tactician Clemence Westerhof, in winning the African Nations Cup in far away Tunisia, in 1994.
At another occasion, the erstwhile Enugu Rangers marksman single handedly handled the national where he made his mark.
Due to these aforementioned exploits in both Nigeria and Black African, Nigeria soccer followers, who are old enough to recall his contributions football will continue to mourn his exit.
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