(SINL NIGERIA) A former Super Eagles captain and head coach Christian Chukwu has died aged 74.

Chukwu passed away in the early hours of Saturday.

His longtime teammate and friend, Olusegun Odegbami, confirmed the development.

Odegbami, who won the 1980 Africa Nation Cup with Chukwu, said: “I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on.

“Babuje, Emmanuel Okala, MON, gave me the sad news a few minutes ago. May ‘Onyim’ find peace with Our Creator in Heaven and console his family,” Odegbami said.