The Chairman Christian Chukwu I Know

By Harry  Chidozie Awurumibe,  Sports Journalist

There is no gainsaying the fact that Chief Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, (MFR) was a hugely talented footballer of his generation who bestrode Nigeria and Africa’s football scene like a colossus with his individual brilliance, and great performances on the pitch while his leadership qualities as the captain of his boyhood club, Rangers International of Enugu and Green Eagles of Nigeria remains unmatched.

Nicknamed ‘Chairman’ because of his imposing presence and the authority he exuded just in front of the rearguard at both club  and country, Chukwu was one the players who made waves in African football in those years of Theophile Abega and Thomas Nkono of Cameroon; Lekhdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer of Algeria; Hassan Shehata and Mahmoud El Khatib of Egypt and Moroccan stars Aziz Bouderbala and Mohamed Timouni.

A national icon on and off the football pitch, Chukwu has his place in Nigeria’s football history even in death because of his meritorious services to his country and geopolitical zone through football as a player, coach and administrator.

As someone who three decades ago played street football with my peers in my youthful years  at Wokoma street, Abel Jumbo street, and other streets in Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, and also followed the game to a great extent before paying more attention to education, I can confirm that the name Christian Chukwu affectionately known as Chairman, resonated among the growing youths and true football followers in Nigeria and across the continent of Africa.

Truly, Chairman Chukwu was a household name among football fans in Nigeria and across Africa as far back as the 1970s and early 1980s, but I never met him nor watched him play except monitoring his football exploits via radio commentaries anchored by late ace Sportscasters like the late Ernest Okonkwo, Sabastine Opurum, Tolu Fatoyinbo, and others especially during football matches between Enugu Rangers captained by Chairman Chukwu and arch-rivals like Sharks FC of Port Harcourt parading top players like Adokiye Amasiemeka aka “Chief Justice” and Jossy Dombraye.

Also, this great footballer led Enugu Rangers in several fierce battles against IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan which boasted of Nigeria’s football icons like Segun Odegbami otherwise called “Mathematical”; Felix Owolabi alias “Owoblow” and goalie Best Ogedengbe just as Chairman Chukwu and his Enugu Rangers team fought bitter football wars against Spartans FC  of Owerri parading the likes of Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetole; Goalie Agwo Nnaji , wing wizard Benjy Nzeakor and forward  Slyvester Oparanozie alias “Bahama”.

Yet, Chairman Chukwu led Enugu Rangers against city rivals P & T Vasco da Gama of Enugu and neighbours Bendel Insurance of Benin City, Mighty Jets of Jos, Ayufsalam Rocks FC of Ilorin, Leventis United of Ibadan, Stationery Stores aka Adebajo Babes of Lagos, among others.

Chairman Chukwu did not only lead Enugu Rangers to dominate the Nigeria football scene by winning both local and continental trophies with the only club he played for during his illustrious playing career, he  conquered the African continent when he captained Enugu Rangers to lift the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 1977, he also led the national team known as Green Eagles to win Nigeria’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 1980.

He was the first Nigerian captain to lift the AFCON trophy after a 3–0 victory over Algeria in the final of the 1980 tournament, and in addition was voted Best Player of the Tournament even as Chukwu, in his playing years in Green Eagles from 1974 to 1981, also won these honours: Bronze medals at the Africa Cup of Nations, 1976, 1978 and Silver medal in All-Africa Games-1978.

Fast forward to the late 1980s when I gained admission to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), and began to watch Enugu Rangers’ matches by climbing the fences of our neighbouring University of Nigeria (UNN) Enugu Campus (UNEC) playground also called Enugu Temporary Stadium near Kenyatta Market in Uwani, Enugu.

There, I saw at close quarters the legendary Chairman Chukwu in flesh and blood, although he has ended his football career but still leading the new generation of Enugu Rangers team. His presence at the stadium every matchday attracted a lot of interests as many flocked to shake his hands, which he had always obliged with his trademark broad smiles.

However, our roads crossed many times when the search for further education and job took me to Lagos, then political and commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, and it was in Lagos that I had the opportunity to  meet Chairman Chukwu after he became the Assistant coach of Green Eagles under former Technical Adviser, Clemens Westerhof.

His combination with Westerhof still remains one of the most successful years of Green Eagles rechristen Super Eagles after the team won the 1994 AFCON and qualified the country for her first-ever FIFA World Cup finals in United States tagged World Cup USA’94. Nigeria shocked the world with a scintillating brand of football.

Known for his humility and patience even in the face of adversity, Chairman Chukwu was elevated to the Head coach of Super Eagles in 2002 and he was on the saddle till 2005 during which he led the team to win Bronze medal in the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia.

Before becoming Super Eagles coach, he was appointed the Technical Adviser of Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland), which was on its way home from an African Champions League quarter-final tie against Esperance Sportive of Tunisia in 1994 and assistant coach of Golden Eaglets led by Sabastine Brodericks-Imasuen, the first Nigeria’s national team to win FIFA U-16 World Cup in China in 1995.

 In October 1998, Chukwu was appointed of the Kenya  national team, Harambee Stars, and later became the  head coach of Enugu Rangers. Led the team to 6th place in the 2008/2009 Nigerian league season and was later appointed as the Technical Director of Heartland FC by Imo state government in 2010/2011 during which the club won the now President Federation Cup back to back.

In summary, Chairman Chukwu remains one of the most decorated players and coaches in Nigeria’s football history as he had the winning aura around him either as a player or coach. From his days with Enugu Rangers to the Eagles as a player or a member of the coaching crew, Chukwu always won trophies and decorated with medals-Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Sadly, during the 2006 FIFA World Cup African qualification phase, Chairman Chukwu was blamed for inept coaching and management of the Nigerian national football team, and two matches before the qualifying campaign was over, he was suspended.

However,  in two matches-home and away-against eventual group winners Angola, Nigeria failed to win either one of those two encounters. This was blamed on Chukwu, and those two crucial failures eventually led to Nigeria failing to qualify for the World Cup, after having appeared at all World Cup finals tournaments since their debut in 1994.

Meanwhile, it has to be stated that Chairman Chukwu remained the most respected of Nigeria’s ex-internacional nationwide because of his services to his country, and this has not been lost on Nigeria football authorities past and present who have always recognised him by appointing him as either a coach of the nation teams or Member of NFF Technical & Development Sub-Committee.

In his home state of Enugu,  Chairman Chukwu, even after he was sacked on August 5, 2009 as the Head coach of Enugu Rangers for failing to reach the club’s targets for the season, he was made the Rangers’ General Manager and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) by former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

This was the last job he handled before sickness hit him hard years later. Recall that in 2019, Chukwu suffered prostate cancer, which affected his legs and his family had to open a GoFundMe appeal to solicit funds for his medical treatment.

But it was philanthropist cum billionaire-businessman, Femi Otedola that eventually stepped in and paid $50,000 for Chukwu’s treatment at Wellington Hospital in London, United Kingdom.

Thankfully, that intervention and opportunity saw him through a very challenging time and gave him a new lease of life before death came calling six years later,  on April 6, 2025 to be precised, to the surprise of his teeming fans, admirers, teammates and associates all over the world.

Indeed, Chairman Chukwu left his footprints on the sand of time even as he left a wonderful impression in the hearts of those who know him or had the opportunity to meet him at close quarters; interact or work with him like this writer did in 1997 during the 1st Zik Memorial Football Tournament which took place at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu  and Rogenny International Stadium, Oba, Anambra state respectively.

I vividly remember how Chairman Chukwu stood as surety for the organisers to convince his team, Enugu Rangers and Udoji United FC of Onitsha to play the opening match of the tournament without receiving their participating fees upfront.

The organisers–Harry Chidozie Awurumibe, National Coordinator/Co-founder;  Mallam Alhassan Saleh Yakmut, Chairman/NSC, Enugu National Zonal Coordinator and late Obi Inyama Co-founder, who was unable to attend the competition, had planned to raise money to pay the teams from the gate takings at the stadium.

Chairman Chukwu who understood the predicament of the organisers argued that it would be a bad idea for the opening match between Enugu Rangers and Udoji United to aborted because of none payment of appearance fees when a huge number of fans had already arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

He ensured that the match was played as the organisers also raised enough money from the gate takings to pay both clubs after the match which Ranges won. The tournament was won by defunct Eagle Cement FC of Port Harcourt which beat Enugu Rangers 2-1 in the epic final watch by five Military Administrators.

That singular act of kindness ensured that my love for this football icon continued to multiple and we became even more closer despite the age difference and social status. Chairman Chukwu has always looked out for his friends and fans.

A father-figure, he had obliged me with exclusive stories while I was a sports reporter with Guardian Newspapers Group in Lagos and as a pioneer women’s football promoter and writer, Chairman Chukwu, as a Member of NFF Technical & Development Sub-Committee had facilitated the appointment of qualified coaches which I recommended to lead the women’s national teams.

Born Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu on January 4, 195, the native of Umuikeowo, Obe Town in Nkanu LGA of Enugu state,  attended Christ Church Primary School Uwani, National Secondary School Nike.

Aside from playing streets football around Coal City especially at Ngwo Park and Coal Camp, Enugu, Chukwu played youth football for National Grammar School Nike, East Central State Academicals, and Highlanders FC (Ministry of Finance team) from where then managers of Enugu Rangers recruited him to play for club which represented the old East Central State now South East geopolitical zone from 1970 immediately after the Nigeria-Biafran civil war and rest, they say, is history.

As earlier stated above, Chairman Chukwu did not only captained Enugu Rangers but also was a  flamboyant Centre Back (CB), commanding defensively but also very graceful in how he always calmly played out from the back to start the attack. He was a born skipper of the national team for many years, playing elegantly to the admiration of both friends and foes.

To ensure that he leaves something that generations  after him will use to remember him, Chukwu in 2023, released his biography book titled:

*“THE FIELD MARSHAL: Chairman Christian Chukwu”*. It was unveiled in Lagos with all the fanfares.

To say that Chairman Chukwu will be missed greatly by family, relatives, and football followers in Nigeria and across the world is an understatement  as he will always be remembered for what he represented, as one of the greatest African Players ever to have graced the football pitches across Africa playing for club and country.

“Here was Caesar! When comes such another?”, this famous quote taken from William Shakespeare’s book *Julius Caesar* is apt in this case as I say: “There goes Chairman Christian Chukwu! When comes another”?.

Fare-thee-Well, Chairman Chukwu

**Harry Chidozie Awurumibe, is Abuja-based Sports Journalist