The family of late Nigerian football legend, Christian Chukwu, has vowed to write to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to demand payment of salaries allegedly owed to the former Green Eagles captain and coach before his death.
Speaking in an emotional interview with The Punch, Christian Chukwu Jr., first son of the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning captain, confirmed that the family would formally petition the football body to recover any outstanding entitlements due to his father.
“We should, we will make a request and hopefully the NFF will do the right thing,” Chukwu Jr. said, adding that while his father never shared the exact details of his financial dealings with the NFF, he was aware that the revered coach had unresolved issues with the federation.
The junior Chukwu revealed that his father, who coached in several countries including Kenya and Lebanon, kept his battles private. “He carried it personally. That’s how my daddy was—he didn’t share it with us,” he said.
He further explained that while the family endured tough times, his father shielded them from financial hardship. “It was hard, but not all that hard. My father tried his best to ensure we didn’t feel what he was going through.”
Despite the difficulties, Chukwu Jr. said his father remained calm and left everything in God’s hands. “He fought to the extent that he said ‘let everything be to God’ to fight for him,” he noted.
Christian Chukwu, affectionately called ‘Chairman’ for his leadership on and off the pitch, passed away peacefully following a brief health crisis. He was 72.
