By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Former governor of old Anambra state, Chief Jim Nwobodo, and ex-Rangers and Green Eagles players have visited the Enugu residence of Nigeria’s football icon Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu affectionately known as Chairman to show their solidarity to his immediate family.
Prompt News reports that Nwobodo, who arrived at the Trans Ekulu house of late Chukwu on Monday afternoon in the company of some aides, commiserated with the family of the former football star including his first son Chukwuemeka (Jnr.).
He hinted that he will rally the current governors of the old East Central State (ECS) now the South East geopolitical zone to be involved in the plans to give Chukwu a befitting burial.
Recall that Chukwu was the charismatic captain of Enugu Rangers Football Club, which was formed immediately after the civil war in 1970 to represent the East Central State in the football competitions until the creation of Imo state on February 3, 1976 by the then regime of General Murtala Mohammed and later Abia and Anambra states on August 27, 1991 and then Ebonyi on October 1, 1996.
Meanwhile, Chukwu’s residence at Trans Ekulu has become a “Mecca” of some sort as his former teammates and ex- Enugu Rangers players, including Dr. Johnny Egbeonu, a member of Rangers Elders Council, has also visited to register their presence.
Chukwu who was the captain of Nigeria’s Green Eagles when the country won her first of the three CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1980 in Lagos and later coached the Super Eagles to win Bronze medal in the same competition years later was a recurring decimal in Nigeria football ecosystem until ill-health hit him hard.
He died on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at a private hospital in his beloved Coal-city, Enugu.
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