In the last one week, one news that is attracting attention in the football circle is the poor state of health of former Green Eagles captain and Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu.
According to reports, Chukwu, who is known in his playing days as Chairman is presently battling prostate cancer and will need the sum of N17.9 million ($50,000) for surgery, medication and after surgery care.
Chukwu appeared to have been battling cancer for sometime now but it is a surprise that until lately no one has made mention of his health condition to the public. Not the management of Enugu Rangers, a club he served diligently as a player and also captained.
Chukwu, who had also coached the team is presently the Technical Director of the club. Also, will Enugu State Government, the owner and financier of Rangers also claim not to know about Chukwu’s health status? Is the Enugu State Coaches Association not aware one of them has been down with prostate cancer for some days? How about the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chukwu’s former employer, who l learnt are still owing him from his time as coach of the Super Eagles? Or is it that his immediate and extended family opted not to get anyone involved in footing the bill of Chukwu’s treatment?
Well, many questions begging for answer but at the moment we need to appreciate Benson Ejindu, the Patron of Rangers FC for raising the alarm through the social media on the health situation of the Green Eagles legend. Ejindu in his Facebook post revealed the amount needed for the 68-year-old’s treatment in the United States.
It was Ejindu’s Facebook post that may have prompted the reaction of the NFF, the Enugu State Government and others.
Though the NFF promised to assist in the treatment of Chukwu, it was the Enugu State Government that backed their words with action by releasing the sum of N1.5million for Chukwu’s surgery at a private hospital in the state after Rangers FC had deposited the sum of N200,000 for the same purpose.
However, one man who has made the biggest impression is billionaire oil mogul, Femi Otedola, who has agreed to pay US$50,000 in order to fly Chukwu to the United States for medical attention.
According to Otedola, the decision is a “token of support to a great Nigerian who served his country to the best of his ability.”
This is indeed a huge relief to the family who had only received N1.5 million naira ($4,200) from the Enugu government since reports of his condition was made public.
At this juncture, it must be said that our athletes should not all the time expect help from the Federal Government or other bodies each time they need serious medical attention.
Our sportsmen and women while active should learn to invest their earnings wisely so that when they retire, they will have something meaningful to fall back on. It is not likely that help will come from anywhere each time they are down. Not every affluent Nigerian can dole out almost N18 million for the health bills of an ex-footballer. Otedola’s gesture is indeed commendable and his gesture also proved as a nation we could actually be better with humility than ethnicity.
At this juncture let’s continue to pray for the quick recovery of the captain of the team that won Nigeria its first African Nations Cup.
