By Maduabuchi Kalu on October 16, 2019

Former national team captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, has described the promises made to him by the Amaju Melvin Pinnick-led executive board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the eve of his departure to England for medical treatment as political.

He explained that as far as he is concerned, the promises were things said at the spur of the moment as he has not heard from the leadership of NFF since he returned to the country from the medical trip about two months ago.

While leading the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the representative of billionaire businessman cum philanthropist, Mr. Femi Otedola, to Chukwu’s country home in Obe-Nkanu in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Pinnick had made mouthwatering promises to the soccer legend.

According to Pinnick, the death of two former national team legends, the late Stephen Keshi and Rasheed Yakini, had taught the Federation a big lesson and, as a result. it would not like Chukwu to go the way of the two late players.

He, therefore, rolled out the Federation’s plan for Chukwu, whose footprint in Nigerian football is indelible. According to him, Chukwu would be placed on N500,000 salary a month, would be a part of every Super Eagles match both locally and internationally and would be paid allowances for that.

Pinnick explained that the reason the Federation rolled out the package was to encourage the current national team players by letting them know that they will not be forgotten after serving the country meritoriously like Chukwu. He equally explained that by being with the national team, Chukwu’s presence would serve as a morale boaster to the current crop of national team players in each of their matches.

However, speaking recently with Oracle Today Sports in Enugu, Chukwu said nothing had been done by NFF to fulfill the promises, though he expressed gratitude to Pinnick for the role he played in recommending the hospital in England where he was treated. He disclosed that Amaju was the one who knew the hospital and the doctors that work at the hospital.

Speaking further, Chairman as Chukwu is popularly called, heaped praises to the Enugu State government led by Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, oil and gas billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, the patron of former Rangers players, Benson Ejindu, Pinnick and Nigerians for their outpouring of love and solidarity during his ill-health.

His words: “Well, as you can see, do I look like someone who receives N500,000 a month? There is nothing like that, I can assure you.

“As far as I am concerned at moment, I only see Amaju’s promises during the period before my departure to England for proper medical treatment as political. That is something said for the moment. As I speak with you, the NFF have never contacted since I came back over the Amaju promises.

“Nobody has said a thing to me since I came back but like I said earlier, I do not hold it against Amaju or the board of the NFF.

“I appreciate the enormity of financial challenges facing the Federation. They’re owing all the national team coaches including Gernot Rohr.  So, where will they get the money to be paying me N500,000 monthly? It is not possible and like I said earlier, it was what Amaju said in my house for the moment when they came to my house for the arrangements for my medical trip abroad.

“I want to state for the records that, it does not in any way take away or belittle the critical role Amaju played during that period and I am most grateful for all that he did. He was the one who recommended the London Hospital for my treatment. It was a world class hospital I must tell you, and I thank him for everything.

“Meanwhile, I would like to use this medium to thank most sincerely, the Enugu State Government led by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for their urgent response immediately I fell sick. I remain grateful to ‘Gburugburu’ and his entire team. I can't thank them enough and I remain eternally grateful.

“More importantly, I would like to use this medium also to once again dispel the insinuation that I was abandoned by Enugu Rangers and by extension the Enugu State Government. There was no iota of truth in that insinuation as it never happened.”

Continuing, the former Harabee Stars of Kenya coach poured encomium on Otedola, describing him as very patriotic and humble man with a golden heart. He disclosed that he never knew Otedola from Adam and revealed that when he got information that Otedola had stepped out to foot his medical bill abroad, he was surprised, saying: ‘Where is this one coming?’

“I must say that I will remain eternally grateful to that humble, patriotic young Nigerian with golden heart, Mr. Femi Otedola for providing the finances for my foreign medical treatment. I got proper medical treatment from the London Hospital.

“As far as I am concerned, words are not enough to express my gratitude to him for coming to assist me get proper medical treatment after I had been discharged from a private hospital in Enugu.

“As a matter of fact, when I heard that one Femi Otedola has offered to foot my medical treatment abroad, I said to myself, can it be true? This is because I have never met him all my life but low and behold, it was true.

“Though I have thanked him before after returning from England for the medical treatment, I can’t be tire of thanking him and expressing my gratitude for what has done for me,” Chukwu declared.

“What Otedola did for me has reinforced my belief in this country, knowing that as long as you serve the country selflessly, you will not be forgotten. The government may but patriotic Nigerians may not,” Chukwu enthused.

“Of course, when we played there was no money in the sport as it is today, however we offers our services because of the passion and the love for fatherland.

“Otedola, may be a small boy when we served the country but he was the one who stepped out to assist me in my hour of need, I thank him.

“He is a very humble young man with a golden heart. It was when he paid me a visit in the UK that I realised how humble he is.

“When I was told he will be visiting me, I expected to see someone with flowing native attire but it was not to be.  His dressing was simple, a pair of jeans trouser and a T shirt. So simple and mind you, his driver in the UK is a white man.

“How I wish most of our leaders and wealthy men could emulate him. It was in the course of the visit that he told me that he has also offered to foot the medical bill of another ex-international, Peter Fregene, which is noble.

“I am of the opinion that gestures like the one Otedola has extended to some of us will go a long to assure the current crop of national team players that once they served this country with all their hearts, they will never be forgotten as I am a living example,” Chukwu said.

Speaking further, the former Heartland FC of Owerri coach commended the patron of ex-Enugu Rangers players, Mr. Benson Ejindu, for the role he equally played during the period of ill-health saying his clarion call for his assistance was what brought the like of Femi Otedola who footed his foreign medical bills.

It is recalled that it was Ejindu that made Chukwu’s ill health public and even solicited for financial assistance, saying that the former national team captain needed $50,000 to enable him travel to the United States of America for proper medical treatment.

It was on that basis that the press went wild to declare that Chukwu had been abandoned by the Enugu State Government.

During the period of trying to send Chukwu abroad that the Enugu State Government offered Chukwu’s son, an Engineer by profession, automatic employment to the Ministry of Works and Housing. The Enugu State Government has since fulfilled the promise.

•PHOTO: Soccer legend Christian Chukwu

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 16, 2019

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