ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A former captain and head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, has passed away.
The ex-Enugu Rangers coach died in the early hours of Saturday at the age of 74, in his home state of Enugu.
However, details surrounding the exact cause of death remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The news was confirmed by his longtime teammate and friend, Dr. Olusegun Odegbami, in a post shared via his official X handle on Saturday.
Odegbami, who played alongside Chukwu and won the 1980 Africa Nations Cup with him, wrote, “My Chairman has passed on. 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.”
Born on January 4, 1951, Chukwu captained the Nigerian national team—then known as the Green Eagles—between 1974 and 1980.
He led the team to its maiden Africa Cup of Nations victory in 1980, and also guided them to runner-up finishes in 1976 and 1978.
The Enugu-born icon also captained Enugu Rangers FC to win the prestigious Africa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1977.
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Chukwu’s contributions to Nigerian football extended beyond his playing days.
He served as assistant coach to the Golden Eaglets team that secured Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup trophy at the U16 tournament in China in 1985.
He was also assistant coach to the celebrated 1994 Super Eagles squad—dubbed the “Golden Generation”—that qualified Nigeria for its first FIFA World Cup.
In 1998, Chukwu was appointed head coach of the Kenya national team.
From 2003 to 2005, he managed the Super Eagles and led them to the semifinals of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.
Christian Chukwu captained Nigeria’s national team to its historic first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 1980 and later guided the Super Eagles to a bronze medal finish at the 2004 tournament in Tunisia.
However, he was dismissed in June 2005 amid the team’s qualification campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Chukwu was later appointed General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Rangers by the immediate past governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
He was also a recipient of the national honour, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
In 2019, Chukwu was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which affected his leg, prompting his family to launch a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his medical treatment.
Nigerian businessman Femi Otedola stepped in and covered the full cost of treatment, donating $50,000.
The cheque was formally presented to Chukwu in Enugu by Philip Akinola, Chief Operating Officer of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.
Also in attendance were former Governor Ugwuanyi, ex-Nigeria Football Federation Chairman Amaju Pinnick, and veteran sports journalist Onochie Anibeze.
With additional support from the Enugu State Government, Chukwu had already undergone initial surgery in Nigeria and had shown signs of recovery