Chairman of the Imo State Football Association, Barr Ifeanyi Dike, has hailed the Super Eagles for their win against Angola and dedication of the victory to the late Samuel Okwaraji.
He commended the resilience and dedication of the Eagles to defeat the Angolan team in the ongoing AFCON tournament in Cote d’Ivoire last Friday.
Dike, who praised the Nigerian team for dedicating their victory over Angola to the late Okwaraji, in a statement signed by Angela Nkwo-Akpolu Member, Imo FA executive committee, said the action was highly commendable and honor to the memory of the late Imo-born player.
While congratulating the team on their victory, the Imo FA Chairman charged them to go all out and bring the trophy to sustain the unity of Nigerians across the country.
“I know it is not easy for the Super Eagles now because the interest of over 200 million people rests on their shoulders. However, I appeal to them to give it their all and bring the trophy home. They have given Nigerians a new sense of unity and our prayer is that they will be crowned African champions. Imo FA has implicit confidence in our boys and we know they will make us proud.
“As we all know, the late Samuel Okwaraji hailed from Imo state. He gave his best, even to the point of death. He proved the greatest commitment to his fatherland and we must honour his memory.
“Imo FA thanks the Super Eagles for dedicating the Angola victory to Okwaraji. We remain hopeful that this will signal the immortalization of our late brother and AFCON victory for us all as Nigerians”, Dike said.
He regretted that Okwaraji died during a football match between Nigeria and Angola in August 1989 in Lagos while he was trying to give his best to his fatherland.
He appealed to the Nigerian government to immortalize the late player, as his octogenarian mother is alive and yet to recover from Okwaraji’s demise.
Okwaraji, though a footballer, was also a qualified lawyer.
Imo FA praises Super Eagles for dedicating Angola victory to Okwaraji
