Former Governor of Anambra State and two-time Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has expressed grief over the demise of Nigerian football legend, Christian Chukwu, who died on Saturday at the age of 74. Ngige described Chukwu as one of the architects of modern football in Nigeria, who contributed immeasurably to the growth and development of the game, both as a player, coach, and football administrator.
According to Ngige, Chukwu brought fame, honour, and respect to Nigeria through the game of football, winning laurels in the 70s and 80s for his country as the Captain of the senior national team, then known as the Green Eagles, and club, Enugu Rangers International Football Club (FC). Ngige recalled that Chukwu captained the Nigerian Green Eagles team to lift the African Cup of Nation’s Trophy for the first time ever in 1980.
“He was a talented, skillful, brilliant, elegant and dogged defender in the field. He had a commanding influence on his team mates and exhibited high level of patriotism and commitment to the service of the nation and Enugu Rangers, not minding that football attracted very little monetary reward in that era,” Ngige said.
Ngige also highlighted Chukwu’s achievements as a coach, noting that he served as the Assistant Coach of the Golden Eaglets team that won the maiden FIFA U-16 World Cup in Communist China in 1985. He was also the assistant coach of the 1994 Golden Generation class of the Super Eagles that won the African Cup of Nations for the second time in 1994 and qualified Nigeria for its first FIFA Senior World Cup Finals the same year.
The former Minister described the death of the football legend as a huge loss to Nigerian and African football, as well as the entire sporting community in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond. He condoled with the football icon’s family, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and the National Sports Commission (NSC), praying God to grant the departed eternal rest in paradise.