Christian Chukwu, who led Nigeria to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, died on Saturday, aged 74, in southeastern city Enugu.
A commanding central defender nicknamed 'Chairman' in his playing days, Chukwu was named the player of the tournament at the 1980 Afcon.
He also took Nigeria's Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2004 edition of the tournament in Tunisia as coach, after a stint in charge of Kenya's national team.
Our ‘Captain’ ‘Chairman’ ‘Coach’ is gone. A True Eagle 🇳🇬🦅💔
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) April 12, 2025
NFF mourns as ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, 1980 AFCON-winning captain, dies at 74
The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow after it was confirmed that Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, who captained… pic.twitter.com/71trVmyW9Z
"We have lost a good and great man," said Mohammed Sanusi, the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
"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."
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu described Chukwu as "more than a footballer".
"His legacies will continue to live on in the trophies he won, the lives he touched, and the exciting moments he provided to football fans and spectators on the field and in the technical area," a statement by the president's media adviser said.