The Nigerian football world is in mourning following the death of Christian Chukwu, one of the most respected figures in the nation’s sporting history. The former Super Eagles captain and head coach died on Saturday in Enugu at the age of 74.
Though details around his death remain unclear, his passing was confirmed by longtime friend and teammate, Dr. Olusegun Odegbami, with whom Chukwu won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations.
But beyond the grief and accolades lies a bitter truth—one that Chukwu himself continued to speak about until his final year: the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) owed him $128,000 in unpaid wages, a debt he first revealed in a 2008 interview with BBC Sport and reiterated in April 2024 while speaking with The Athletic Nigeria.
A Legacy Overshadowed by Neglect
Christian Chukwu served as head coach of the Super Eagles from 2003 to 2005, guiding Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.
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Despite that success, he was sacked during the World Cup qualification campaign in 2005 and never received full payment for his services.
Back in 2024, Christian Chukwu was still demanding unpaid salary from the Nigeria FA.
Chairman CC told me in 2008 that he was owed over $128,000 since Sept 2006 when his contract officially ended with the NFA.
2024 Interview via @TheAthleticNG pic.twitter.com/47rRqbQKSS
— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) April 12, 2025
In his 2024 interview with The Athletic Nigeria, Chukwu laid bare the frustrations and humiliation he faced:
“They owe Nigerian coaches. They don’t owe foreign coaches. It is a problem,” he said.
“You take on an indigenous coach who takes a cheap salary, and you owe him. Is it proper? Are you encouraging him to do his job? I am still being owed up to today.
They are still owing me till tomorrow. My files are there with the NFF. There is nothing I can do [to get them to pay me]. The file is there. Go to their office, and you will see how much they owe me.”
Chukwu further revealed the psychological toll of chasing after a debt for nearly two decades: “Not only me, but other indigenous coaches are being owed too. Some are late,” he said somberly.
When asked what actions he had taken to recover the money, his response was filled with resignation: “What can I do?”
Earlier, in his 2008 BBC Sport interview, he had expressed hope that his persistent calls, letters, and visits to the NFF offices would eventually yield a result. But 16 years later, the debt remained unpaid.
“It is annoying that I worked so much and these people at the NFA cannot figure out ways of sorting out the money they owe me,” he said then.
“I have made several efforts through writing, telephone calls, and visits to the NFA office, but there is still no word from the authorities. The last time, they assured me that they would get to the bottom of the matter.
It’s very frustrating and annoying to be treated this way. I am very sure a foreign coach will not be treated this way.”
Late Christian Chukwu with Nigeria’s first ever AFCON title in 1980. Photo Credit: CAF
A Familiar Pattern of Disrespect
Chukwu’s situation echoes that of many indigenous Nigerian coaches, who are frequently underpaid, underappreciated, and ultimately forgotten.
Despite their service to the nation, they are often forced to accept far less than their foreign counterparts—and then struggle to get even that.
“I had a better experience managing in Kenya and Lebanon,” Chukwu added during his 2024 interview, emphasizing how other nations treated him with far more dignity than his own.
From 2002 to 2006, the NFF was under the leadership of Ibrahim Galadima. He was succeeded by Sani Lulu, but neither administration resolved Chukwu’s outstanding wages.
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His files, according to him, remained untouched within the NFF offices, collecting dust.
Now, with his passing, Nigerians are left grappling with a shameful question: How did we let one of our greatest football heroes die still owed, still unheard, still unhonored?
Final Whistle
Christian Chukwu was more than a coach. He was a symbol of Nigerian football’s golden era, a pillar of strength and leadership from his days as Green Eagles captain to his years in the dugout. And yet, in the end, he became another casualty of a broken system one where local legends are too often treated as disposable.
As the football world pays tribute to the man called “Chairman,” one can only hope that his story becomes a wake-up call not just a eulogy.
Rest in power, Christian Chukwu. May Nigeria one day learn to treat its heroes better.
