Nigerian football legend, Christian Chukwu, is dead. He passed away in the early hours of Saturday at the age of 74.
His death was confirmed by his former teammate and close friend, Segun Odegbami.
“I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on,” Odegbami said.
“Babuje, Emmanuel Okala, MON, gave me the sad news a few minutes ago. May ‘Onyim’ find peace with Our Creator in Heaven and console his family,” he added.
Christian Chukwu, born on January 4, 1951, was a key figure in Nigerian football history. He captained Nigeria to its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory in 1980, after defeating Algeria 3–0 in Lagos.
He also played for Enugu Rangers and led the team to several trophies, including the African Cup Winners Cup in 1977.
Chukwu later became a coach and served as assistant to Dutchman Clemens Westerhof when Nigeria won the 1994 AFCON and qualified for the World Cup for the first time.
From 2002 to 2005, he was head coach of the Super Eagles. He led Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia but was sacked in 2005 during the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup.
He also worked as an assistant coach when Nigeria’s U-16 team won the FIFA World Cup in China in 1985.
Chukwu had been battling prostate cancer since 2019, which affected his leg. A GoFundMe appeal was launched to support his treatment, but businessman Femi Otedola stepped in and donated $50,000 for his medical care abroad.
Popularly known as “Chairman”, Christian Chukwu is remembered as one of Nigeria’s greatest defenders and a national hero.
