Christian Chukwu, one of Nigeria’s most iconic football figures, reportedly died without receiving payments owed to him by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for nearly two decades of dedicated service.
NPO recalls that the former Captain of the Nigerian Green Eagles, passed on Saturday at the age of 74.
A video which surfaced online of an interview conducted in 2024 captured the moment the icon made emotional pleas for his arrears to be settled.
The backlog was owed during Ibrahim Galadima’s tenure as NFF President.
“They owe Nigerian coaches. They don’t owe foreign coaches. It is a problem. You take on an indigenous coach who takes a cheap salary, and you owe him,”
“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.
“Not only me, but other indigenous coaches are being owed too. Some are late,” he said.
On being asked what he could do to get his entitlements, he queried “What can I do?”
According to Chukwu, the NFF owed him over $120,000 since 2006.