The Enugu State government and the management of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu have both discounted reports making the rounds in social media platforms that the state government and the club abandoned their Technical Director, Christian Chukwu, saying the rumour was not only untrue, but suggestions that Christian Chukwu was “a destitute old man abandoned to his fate in the face of an emergency health situation” were malicious and mischievous.
“Christian Chukwu, popularly called “Chairman” in his playing days, is NOT a destitute old man abandoned to his fate in the face of an emergency health situation. He is currently the Director of Sports in the Rangers Management Corporation, a public service job that enables him to meet his basic health needs. In the circumstance, Christian Chukwu is an employee of the Enugu State Government. This was one of the strategies that Rt. Hon. Dr. Ugwuanyi, the Governor of Chukwu’s home state of Enugu, designed to take care of sportsmen who had served the State or the nation in their youth,” noted a statement by Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Ogbuagu Anikwe.
According to Anikwe, “When Chukwu’s health situation was brought to the attention of his employer – Rangers Management Corporation – he was rushed to one of the best medical facilities in Enugu where a team of five (5) specialists have been attending to him. The management of Rangers Management Corporation immediately deposited N200,000 with this health facility to begin his treatment.
“On hearing about his health condition, Gov. Ugwuanyi gave an additional N1.5million to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports to give to the family — in order to ensure that the football legend did not lack anything that the team of specialists may require to manage his condition. The Governor has also given an additional N1million to the family when the doctors demanded for a further deposit, bringing the total amount disbursed by Gov. Ugwuanyi and the Rangers Management to the Chukwu family to N2.7million,” the statement said.
The Enugu state government said it was compelled to make the clarification because of “the spate of misinformation, disinformation and outright mischief that otherwise well-intentioned commentators have continued to dish out, based on the misguided efforts of a friend of the football legend who is giving a false impression that Chukwu is a destitute old man, perhaps in a bid to whip up public sympathy that enables him meet his goal of raising money to help his friend.”
“To date, the doctors taking care of Chukwu have NOT released a medical report of his health condition to anyone, not even to the state government that has been picking up his bills. It is therefore curious how anyone without this information could have determined that (a) Christian Chukwu needs oversea medical care, and (b) the cost of this oversea care. This point needs restating: the medical director of the Hospital is also as surprised as we are that someone in the USA who is not privy to a medical report on Chairman Chukwu’s condition can determine that (a) Chukwu needs a treatment abroad (b) the cost of such treatment, and (c) even without Chukwu or any member of his family asking for a second medical opinion or for treatment abroad.”
“The Enugu State government notes that the negative stories surrounding Chukwu’s condition originated from the desperation of his friend in the US who is falsely claiming in his appeal fund drive message that Chukwu has been “abandoned.” Finally, if at any time the hospital doctors or the Chukwu family indicate that oversea treatment is required, the Enugu State Government will be notified and will respond appropriately,” the statement concluded.
The statement by the Enugu state government followed a similar disclaimer by the management of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu which also denied the rumors that the club abandoned their Technical Director. Norbert Okolie made this known in a statement signed in Enugu while reacting to stories making the rounds in most social media platforms. The club said that their former coach and a national team captain was being attended to in his hour of need as he recovers from a life threatening health challenge.
The General Manager of Rangers International, Prince Davidson Owumi, described the stories of alleged abandonment of the national icon as completely baseless. He said that both the club and the state government led by Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been doing all that was needed to help the coach back on his feet. He is right now recovering from the treatment carried out on him.
Prince Owumi further said that the club made the initial N200,000 deposit for his admission and commencement of treatment at the private health facility. “Christian Chukwu is a legend and our governor holds him in high esteem and takes whatever concerns him with high regard. So, it beats me hollow for some media channels to start peddling stories that he was abandoned. It is not true.
“Our legend, Chukwu has been assessed by medical personnel at the hospital and is gradually getting over the health challenge. We did not want to make the efforts of Enugu state government and Rangers in this case public, because his family never wanted his condition a public affair,” he said.
Chukwu fell in love with football at a tender age. Owing to his love for football, he decided to focus on it leading to his father to describe him as a “vagabond”. However, he continued to strive to be better and in 1974, he became the captain of the Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, making him the longest-serving captain in the club’s history. He led Enugu Rangers to win a continental championship when they captured the African Cup Winners Cup in 1977.
The win opened doors for him. He and his teammates were rewarded with houses by the Shehu Shagari-led government instead of the “Lucozade and orange drinks” they were accustomed to. More so, under his captainship, the club won four challenge cups and five national league titles. As if that was not enough, Chukwu went on to become the first Nigerian to lift the African Nations trophy after a 3-0 victory against Algeria in 1980.
Chukwu, who played as a defender, was later named the captain of the Nigerian national team. In the 1990s, Chukwu started his coaching career in Lebanon and was later coached the Kenyan national team. In 2003, Chukwu became the coach of the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles. Under his tenure, the Nigeria national team qualified for the semifinals of the 2004 African Cup of Nations.
Three years later, Chukwu was blamed for the national team two crucial failures which 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. From 2008 to 2009, Chukwu coached the Enugu Rangers to the sixth position in the Nigeria Premier League.
