Chairman Chukwu at 70

On January 4, one of Nigeria’s football icons, Christian Chukwu Okoro, turned 70. Popularly known as Chairman during his playing days, Chukwu is one of the few crop of footballers who have the distinction of bringing Nigeria the Africa Cup of Nations glory both as a player and as a coach. Chukwu was captain of the Green Eagles team that won Nigeria’s first Afcon Cup in 1980. Nigerians will always honour him as the first captain to lift the Africa Nations Cup trophy after a 3–0 victory over Algeria in the final of the 1980 tournament played in Lagos. He was subsequently named the Player of the Tournament.

Although two other triumphs followed in 1994 (Tunisia) and 2013 (South Africa), there can be no doubt that the 1980 triumph opened a floodgate of victories and enhanced self-belief among the senior national team players. What is more, Chukwu was Nigeria’s Head Coach in Tunisia 94 when the Super Eagles, parading such timeless names as Rashidi Yekini, Stephen Keshi, Victor Ikpeba, Augustin Eguavoen, Sunday Oliseh, Austin Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju, Emmanuel Amuneke and Ben Iroha, among others, played what is arguably Nigeria’s best brand of football till date. He was also at USA 94 where the Super Eagles marked their arrival on the global stage in grand fashion. Of course, both in Tunisia and the United States, Chukwu served under Dutchman Clemens Westerhof, the Eagles’ Technical Adviser and master tactician.

A defender in his playing days, Chukwu served as captain of Enugu Rangers Football Club and the Nigeria national team in the late 1970s. In 1977, he led Rangers to win the year’s edition of the African Cup Winners Cup. He exported his coaching career to Lebanon in the mid-1990s, before being appointed coach of the Kenya national team in 1998. Between 2003 and 2005, he served as Super Eagles coach, taking the team to the  semifinals of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also the Eagles’ coach during the failed 2006 World Cup qualification campaign, being suspended two matches before the end of the qualifiers. And even though he took Enugu Rangers to 6th place in the 2008–2009 edition of the Nigeria Premier League, he was sacked in August 2009 for failing to reach the club’s targets for the season. While he was justly blamed for the losses at the national team and Enugu Rangers, at no time was his passion and commitment to the game ever called into question.

A fighter to the core, Chukwu battled life-threatening ailments in 2019 but did not despair. He eventually made the trip to England for his medical care after help came through a public-spirited business mogul. Sadly, like most celebrities, Chukwu has been a victim of fake news. Only on Sunday, the former Super Eagles coach debunked the news of his demise, saying that he was hale and hearty. Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his Trans Ekulu residence in Enugu, the former Green Eagles captain said he was terribly embarrassed by the fake news and was investigating its source, adding that God was in control of his life.

We are extremely delighted that Chukwu recovered from the ailment that befell him in 2019 and has lived to be 70 in a clime where, by reason of poor leadership, life often tends to be nasty, short and brutish. We are proud of his accomplishments for Nigeria on the field of play and in the tactical corner. There is no doubt that as a sports professional, Chukwu has paid his dues. We salute him at 70 and wish him many more prosperous years.

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