Exit of Another Defence Icon, Uche Okafor

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Friday, January 7th, 2011

AT a time when ex-Nigerian footballers, both home and abroad, are putting heads together to re-build the nation’s football, death has again struck, whisking away a member of the all-conquering Super Eagles team to the Tunisia ‘94 African Nations Cup and World Cup in USA, Uche Okafor. In this report, GOWON AKPODONOR looks at the life and career of the former ACB Football Club of Lagos player, whose defensive work gave millions of soccer loving-Nigerians delightful moments.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Uche Okafor was sketchy yesterday morning, when the sad news filtered into the country from his base in Dallas, Texas. The story was that Okafor hanged himself in his apartment in the early hours of Thursday. He was said to have committed the dastard act after taking his daughter to school.

Initial report stated that some people around his neighborhood saw his body dangling from a ceiling shortly on arrival from the school run, suggesting that the ex-Eagles defender may have committed suicide.
The people were said to have notified his pastor in Texas, who in turn, broke the sad news to pastor Eddy Akosa, who is always in the company of Nigeria national teams, whenever they are on international engagement. It was pastor Akosa who eventually broke the news yesterday morning to some friends and relations of the late Okafor in Nigeria.

Former Super Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami, was still at lost when The Guardian put a call to him yesterday. He said: “I heard the news about five minutes ago, but I have to call my friends in US to know what actually happened before I make any comment on this issue. What must have forced Okafor to take his life is what I can’t understand now.”

But the Chief Media Officer of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire, said in a statement yesterday that Okafor was found hanged in his home in Dallas by his wife shortly after he returned home from dropping off his daughter in school. He described the death as shocking.

He noted that Uche Okafor served this country with distinction and we are taken aback by the nature of his demise. All the same, at this time, we can only pray to God for repose of his gentle soul.”
In all, Okafor had a total of 34 caps for the national team. He was a member of the Super Eagles for more than 10 years, and was a key man at the heart of defence when Nigeria won her first –ever African Cup of Nations title on away soil, in Tunisia in 1994.

He was in the squad to the 1994 FIFA World Cup finals in the United States of America – Nigeria’s first appearance at the World Cup. He also played at the 1998 World Cup finals in France.
The former international had been doing very well since retiring from the game, first working with the international kit makers, NIKE, and later as commentator on the African game for some international media companies.
Only last month, he signed a contract with ESPN to work with them as an African football expert/analyst.

Okafor began his football career at the defunct ACB Football club, Lagos. He moved to Belgium as was the norm of Nigerian players then, with a first division side, KSV Mechelen, as his first port of call.
He also played for Hannover 96 before ending his career in Major League Soccer (MLS), with Sporting Kansas City, formerly known as Kansas City Wizards.

Okafor was a member of the North Texas Soccer Association, where he was head coach for the 91 Gold Central boys team and the 93 HP Central boys team, who play in the Plano Premier Select Soccer league. He was 43 years old at the time of his death.
Last year, football-loving Nigerians mourned the exit of ex-Eagles goalie, Best Ogedegbe, who died at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan at the age of 55. He was recuperating after an eye surgery. Ogedegbe was a member of the then Green Eagles team that won the 1980 African Cup of Nations in Lagos. Two other members of the squad, Tunde Bamidele and Muda Lawal had died some years back.

In December 2008, the cold hand of death also took away one of the most gifted ball-dribblers Nigeria ever produced, Haruna Ilerika. He helped Nigeria win Gold in the 2nd All Africa Games ‘73 in Lagos, and Bronze in the African Nations Cup ‘76 in Ethiopia. Another Nigerian great midfielder, Alloysuis Atuegbu, had also passed on.

-Guardian

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