Nigerian Football Thrown Into Mourning As Super Eagles Legend Christian Chukwu Dies at 74
- Former Super Eagles defender Christian Chukwu has sadly passed away at the age of 74
- The Chairman, as he is popularly referred to, captained Nigeria to their first AFCON in 1980
- He coached Nigeria from 2003 to 2005, reaching the semi-final of AFCON 2004 in Tunisia
Former Super Eagles defender and head coach Christian Chukwu has sadly passed away this morning at 74 throwing the Nigerian football family into mourning.
Chukwu spent his 9-year playing career at Enugu Rangers from 1972 to 1981 and spent seven years out of those playing for the Nigerian national team.
Source: Getty Images
He played at three AFCONs, finishing runners-up in 1976 and 1978 before captaining the Super Eagles to their first continental title in 1980 on home soil.
Odegbami pays tribute to Chukwu
Teammate Mathematical Segun Odegbami broke the news and confirmed that Emmanuel Okala broke the news to him.
"My Chairman has passed on. 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 football history, former captain and coach of Nigeria’s national football team, has passed on,” he wrote on Facebook.
“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."
NFF mourns Christian Chukwu
The Nigeria Football Federation released a press statement confirming and mourning the death of the first Super Eagles captain to lay hands on the AFCON trophy, 20 days after the 45th anniversary of the 1980 AFCON triumph.
“We have lost a good and great man. Chukwu was the definition of a strong, dedicated and disciplined leader on and off the field. He was not nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for nothing. He embodied strength, vision and consistency,” NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi said.
“We pray that the Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest, and also grant the family and friends he has left behind, and Nigeria football’s fraternity the fortitude to bear this big loss.”
The NFF confirmed he was the eighth member of the class of 1980 to have passed away. Others were goalkeepers Best Ogedegbe and Moses Effiong, defenders Okechukwu Isima and Tunde Bamidele, midfielders Aloysius Atugbu and Mudashiru Lawal, and forward Martins Eyo.
According to Vanguard, there were false rumours in early 2021 that the Chairman had died, but he denied it during his 70th birthday celebration on January 4.
“I am terribly embarrassed with this news that I am dead. Several people have been calling me from across the world since the news broke. I am still investigating the source of the story,” he said.
NFF mourns former midfielder
Legit.ng previously reported that NFF mourned Ayo Ogunlana after the former midfielder passed away on February 14, 2025 after his routine morning walk.
The Ibadan-born star was reputable for being a dead ball specialist and starred for Nigeria during AFCON and FIFA World Cup qualifiers during the 90s.
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Source: Legit.ng
