Prince Harrison Jalla
CHRISTIAN CHUKWU (MFR): NIGERIA’S GREATEST CAPTAIN OF ALL TIME GOES HOME ON 16TH AUGUST 2025 ACCORDING TO FAMILY SOURCES
Legendary Christian Chukwu (MFR) is unarguably Nigeria’s greatest captain of all time. Chukwu is renowned for his exceptional leadership, tactical awareness, and defensive prowess as captain of the National team of Nigeria and Rangers International Football club of Enugu, a club that rose to the pinnacle of Nigeria Football after the Nigeria civil war in 1970 as a symbol of the Igbo race.
Christian Chukwu is to Nigeria what great players like Paulo Maldini are to Italy, what Bobby Moore is to England, and Franz Beckenbauer to Germany. Unfortunately, Nigeria has the worst and most notorious sports administrators in the world, particularly the Nigeria Football Federation in the last 10 years.
What Chukwu said in the attached video is the reality on the ground; no Nigeria coach, dead or alive, that worked with the Nigeria Football Federation that is not being owed. From late coach Paul Hamilton to late coach Amodu Shuaibu, late coach Godwin Izilien, late coach Sebastian Broderick’s, late coach Willy Bazuaye, late Coach Joe Erico, etc., these coaches made official complaints to us in their lifetime.
Nigeria Sports administrators, most of whom had no affinity with sports, are selfish, greedy people whose priority is their personal interest. That’s why stealing and looting resources meant for sports development has been the order of the day. No welfare scheme or retirement plans for sportsmen and women, no representation on the Boards of the Federations.
Even when Footballers reorganize themselves through the Professional Footballers Association (PFAN), the NFF’s swift response was to set up factions to distract the unity of purpose to take their destiny into their own hands. What Chukwu said in this video in the twilight of his last days on earth after serving this country meritoriously as a player-coach is a national disgrace to Nigeria Football Administrators. Chukwu certainly did not die a happy man.
What commitment is expected of the present and future generations of Nigeria Footballers who must certainly come across this video? The Nigeria sports sector needs total restructuring, both at the federal and state levels; our sports administrators are the bane of Nigeria Sports development. No nation can make significant progress in sports without prioritizing athletes’ welfare, infrastructure development, and a safety net for retired sportsmen and women, no matter the abundance of natural talent, skills, and potential.
I was very close to Christian Chukwu, a senior colleague whom I had the privilege to work with as one of the first five pioneer trustees of the National Association of Nigeria Footballers, now Professional Footballers Association (PFAN). The others are Chief Segun Odegbami (MON), Chief A. Amiesinaka (MON), late coach Paul Hamilton, and late coach Ismaila Mabo.
Chukwu was an epitome of patriotism and humility, a rare gem. I’m yet to find anywhere in Nigeria Football history where he was given a yellow card throughout his playing career.
Rest on Nigeria’s greatest captain of all time, Our only chairman.
Prince Harrison Jalla
