In the wake of the passing of former Super Eagles captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, on Saturday, the Enugu State Government has opened condolence registers in his memory in Enugu, Lagos, and Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, on Monday, these registers were opened as a tribute to Chukwu, providing an opportunity for Nigerians to pay their respects to the late football figure.
The registers will be accessible from 8am to 4pm on weekdays at various locations, including the Enugu State Football Association’s office at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development at the State Secretariat in Enugu, Rangers International Office at No. 23, Abakaliki Road, GRA, Enugu, the Enugu State Liaison Office at No. 45, Lasode Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, and the Enugu State Building at No. 81, Ralph Shodeinde Street, opposite the Federal Ministry of Finance, Central Business District, Abuja.
“So, we encourage Ndi Enugu and Nigerians to avail themselves of these avenues to pay respect to whom it is due,” the statement noted.
Tributes have been pouring in since the announcement of Chukwu’s death over the weekend.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, @PNMbah, and other social media platforms to express his sorrow, describing the loss as personal for both the state and Nigeria as a whole, as well as for Africa. He remarked that the late Chukwu was “a national icon, a football titan, Field Marshal, and phenomenon, whose exploits as a footballer united the country across ethnic divides and creed.”
“He was patriotism personified, serving the nation and Africa unreservedly both as a player and coach of the highly successful Rangers International Football Club of Enugu and Super Eagles of Nigeria, which he captained to victory as Green Eagles at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. He also coached the Harambee Stars, Kenya’s senior male national team, among others.
“Chairman, as he was fondly called, gave his all not only to the nation but to the rest of Africa. He wrote his name in gold in the annals of the history of Nigerian and African football,” he concluded.
