By Adadareporters
Nigeria’s football governing bodies have been berated for not immortalising the late Super Eagles attacking midfielder, Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji, who died on 12th August, 1989.
Okwaraji, a lawyer and professional footballer, died at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, while playing for Super Eagles in a World Cup qualifier against Angola. He collapsed on the 77th minute of the game, and was later confirmed dead from cardiac arrest.
Obinna Ezeme is a health professional. He said, “He has been forgotten which is a culture in Nigeria where heroes are not celebrated, but mediocres are reverenced. If our health facilities were in order, Okwaraji might not have died. NFF ought to have immortalised him by ensuring that sound medical facilities are provided at our various sporting arenas.
“Since Okwaraji’s death, I can count more than ten deaths in the pitch during league games in Nigeria. No ambulances, no first aids and so on. One can still ridiculously see our health professionals carrying sachet water and spoons to open the mouths of players gasping for breath. That means we learnt nothing from Okwaraji’s untimely death.”
Cyprain Ajah, a football analyst, said, “It is said that charity begins at home. What has the Igbo nation done to remember such a hero. Imo State hasn’t, to the best of my knowledge, immortalised Okwaraji. I know Okwaraji’s mother died in Enugu a couple of years ago, and it was reported that she never recovered from the shock of losing his promising son in such careless way. I am not God, but you can imagine what that star would have been today if he were alive.”
Okwaraji was born in Orlu, Imo State, on 19th May 1964, and died on12th August 1989. He had a master’s degree in international law, which he earned from Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.
His career saw him play for AS Roma, Dinamo Zagreb, Austria Klagenfurt, VfB Stuttgart, SSV Ulm, and K. Berchem Sport. He played for Nigeria’s Olympic football team as well as for the Super Eagles.
