Otedola Redeems $50,000 Pledge for Chukwu’s Medical Overseas
L-R: Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Former Green Eagles Captain, Christian Chukwu, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and Phillip Akintola at the presentation of cheques to Chukwu in Enugu…Wednesday
- Enugu Gov gives immediate employment to Chukwu’s son
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Ailing former Captain of the Green Eagles, Christian Chukwu has received the lifeline promised him by billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola.
The former head coach of the Nigerian senior football team yesterday in Enugu received the money promised him by Otedola to enable him proceed to UK in early May for treatment of the prostrate cancer he has been battling for sometime now.
THISDAY learnt last night that the COO of Otedola Foundation, Phillip Akintola represented the chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd at the cheque presentation to Chukwu.
He was accompanied to Chukwu’s home by Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and others.
“Otedola’s decision to extend his hand of fellowship to Chukwu is a “token of support to a great Nigerian who served this country to the best of his ability,” THISDAY was informed by a top football personality in Enugu last night.
In a similar development, Gov Ugwuanyi has directed the immediate employment of Emeka Chukwu, the first son of the ailing Chukwu into the state’s civil service fold.
The State Commissioner for Sports, Josef Udedi made the announcement after a closed-door meeting between the delegation and the family of Chukwu.
Udedi said that the engineering graduate would be given automatic employment by the state government.
On his part, Pinnick said that the NFF would approve an appointment for the former skipper of the Green Eagles as a Life Ambassador of the organisation.
He said that the management of the NFF would work out a stipend that would be paid to him.
Pinnick said that the football house was desirous of improving the welfare of ex-internationals.
He said that one of the objectives of the proposed NFF Foundation was to build a database of every player that represented the country whether in the past or in time to come.
The NFF president described Chukwu as a living legend, adding that the NFF would not allow him to die.
Responding, the son of the former coach, Emeka Chukwu, thanked the donor and the NFF for their interests in his father’s illness.
The NFF had originally offered to step in to help the 68-year-old, who captained the Super Eagles to their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980.
