Christian Chukwu

Christian Chukwu

Personal information
Full name	Christian Chukwu Okoro
Date of birth	(1951-01-04)4 January 1951
Date of death	12 April 2025(2025-04-12) (aged 74)
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1972–1981	Enugu Rangers
International career
1974–1981	Nigeria	54	(5)
Managerial career
1982–1985	Enugu Rangers
1985–1986	Nigeria U17
1986–1988	Enugu Rangers
1998–2003	Kenya
2003–2005	Nigeria
2005–2009	Enugu Rangers
2010–2011	Heartland FC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Christian Chukwu Okoro (4 January 1951 – 12 April 2025) was a Nigerian footballer and manager. As a footballer, Chukwu played as a defender for Enugu Rangers. He was capped 54 times for Nigeria, and was the team's captain when they won the won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. He also played for Nigeria at the 1976 and 1978 African Cup of Nations.

After retiring from football, he became a manager. He was the manager of Kenya between 1998 and 2003, and the manager of Nigeria between 2003 to 2005. With Nigeria, he finished third at the 2004 African Cup of Nations, but was fired during 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification, where he was blamed for the team's bad performances.

Early and personal life

When Chukwu was young, his parent did not want him to play football. To stop him from playing football, his parents had him sell plantains.

In April 2019, the Nigeria Football Federation announced that they would help Chukwu pay for his medical bills for treatment in the United States. Additionally, billionaire Femi Otedola said he would also help. It was later announced that he would travel for treatment in May after the required funds were raised; he was cured.

Chukwu was married and had four children, two boys and two girls.

Chukwu died on 12 April 2025, at the age of 74.

Honours

Nigeria

• Africa Cup of Nations: 1980