NFF Celebrates Former Eagles’ Captain, Coach, Christian Chukwu @ 70

Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has celebrated former Green Eagles Captain, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu, for clocking 70 years of age on January 4, 2021.

Chukwu, who also handled the national football team, the Super Eagles, was hailed by the NFF, wishing him a happy birthday.

The NFF wrote of its official Twitter handle @thenff that; “The Chairman is 70! Hearty cheers as former Super Eagles captain and coach clocks 70!”

“We wish Coach Christian Chukwu many happy returns on this day”, the NFF said

Nicknamed ‘Chairman’ by late ace football commentator, Ernest Okonkwo, during his hey days as the Green Eagles defender, Chukwu played alongside Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Adokiye Amesiemaka, Emmanuel Okala, Best Ogedegbe (late), Okey Isima; Aloysius Atuegbu (late), and Patrick Ekeji

Others of Chukwu’s teammates in the historic 1980 Nations Cup winning squad coached by Brazilian technical adviser, late Professor Otto Gloria include: Sylvanus Okpala, Kadiri Ikhana, Tunde Bamidele; Henry Nwosu; Godwin Odiye; Ifeanyi Onyedika; Shefiu Mohammed; Moses Effiong; Frank Onwachi; and Martin Eyo

Born on January 4, 1951, Christian Chukwu Okoro played for the Rangers International Football Club of Enugu where he also became the team’s long-serving captain in the late 1970s.

A reliable defender in his playing days, Chukwu captained the Nigeria national team, then known as Green Eagles to the country’s maiden victory in the African Nations Cup tournament which Nigeria hosted in 1980.

He was the first Nigerian captain to lift the continental trophy, after the Eagles hammered Desert Warriors of Algeria 3–0 victory in the final match played at the national Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

On that historic night, at the stands to cheer the Green Eagles were late former President Shehu Shagari, and former Governor Jim Nwobodo of old Anambra State, among other dignitaries.

Chukwu’s coaching career started in Lebanon in the mid-1990s, before being appointed coach of the Kenya national team in 1998. From 2003 to 2005, he headed the Super Eagles’ coaching crew and led Nigeria to reach the 2004 African Cup of Nations semi-finals round.

During the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Chukwu took the fall for the disastrous outings that decisively saw Nigeria missing out of the World Cup finals in Germany

Returning to Enugu, Chukwu coached Rangers International to 6th place in the 2008–2009 edition of the Nigeria Premier League.