Former Harambee Stars coach Christian Chukwu dies at 74

Former Harambee Stars coach Christian Chukwu is dead. The former Nigeria captain and coach was 74.

According to a post on X by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chukwu, who led Nigeria to victory in the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) on home soil, died on Saturday in his native city of Enugu.

“The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow after it was confirmed that Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, who captained Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad and later coached the team, had died in his native of Enugu on Saturday,” NFF said on X. 

In 1998, Chukwu was hired by the Kenya Football Federation now Football Kenya Federation with high hopes but his tenure at Harambee Stars never lasted long and he was fired barely a year later.

Under his watch, Kenya finished bottom of their group in the qualification for the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, without winning a single game. 

Dedicated and disciplined leader

NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi mourned him as a dedicated and disciplined leader both on and off the field. 

“We have lost a good and great man. Chukwu was the definition of a strong, dedicated and disciplined leader on and off the field. He was not nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for nothing. He embodied strength, vision and consistency,” said Chukwu in the NFF’s statement on X. 

According to the statement by NFF, Chukwu playing as a defender was in the Nigeria senior team that won bronze medals at the 1976 and 1978 Afcon finals in Ethiopia and Ghana respectively, before leading the squad to glory on home soil in 1980.  He was named Player of the Tournament.

Born on January 4, 1951, Chukwu also coached Enugu Rangers and was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in 2002. He led the team to a third-place finish at the 2004 Afcon finals in Tunisia.