33 years after, ex-teammates pay tributes to Okwaraji

TODAY makes it 33 years since Samuel Okwaraji slumped and died whereas enjoying for Nigeria in a 1990 World Cup qualifier, however a few of his teammates are but to recover from his painful exit.

Okwaraji slumped through the Tremendous Eagles’ 1990 World Cup qualifier towards Angola on August 12, 1989 on the Nationwide Stadium, Lagos and was rushed to hospital the place he lastly handed on.

About 5 followers died similar day on the overcrowded 40,000-capacity stadium, because the Eagles received the qualifier 1-0 underneath chaotic circumstances.

Docs mentioned Okwaraji died of congestive coronary heart failure, with an post-mortem revealing he had an enlarged coronary heart and hypertension.

Okwaraji’s teammate Henry Nwosu, a 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner, described the fallen midfield maestro as a real patriot who wished to show to Nigerians that he was a superb participant however died within the course of.

“Okwaraji was a delicate boy who was able to do something for individuals round him and notably his nation,” Nwosu confirmed.

“He was that participant who was able to die for his nation and he died for his nation. He was such a participant who hated to be cheated however sadly, demise cheated him in such a painful method. It’s painful that he’s been gone for thus lengthy.”

Former Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, who was closest to Okwaraji when he slumped on the fateful day, mentioned the late Austria Klagenfurt and Stuttgart midfielder slumped after he couldn’t breathe properly as a result of sizzling climate.

“You simply jogged my memory of one thing very painful,” Siasia mentioned.

“He was a superb pal and teammate. I simply observed he was getting choked up like he couldn’t breathe properly after which he fell. I used to be so scared similar to the opposite gamers on the pitch have been.

“I attempted to assist him keep alive by calling on the medical crew and urging them to be quick. I believed they performed their half but it surely was simply unlucky it occurred the best way it did,” Siasia mentioned.

One other of Okwaraji’s teammates Etim Esin, added, “Okwaraji was my good pal again then, he was my roommate. It’s actually unhappy and until date, I nonetheless keep in mind him similar to yesterday. It’s at all times troublesome to neglect a person who was so good even in demise. I consider if he have been alive we’d have made it to the 1990 World Cup.

Former Eagles midfielder, Ademola Adeshina, blamed the cruel climate for the demise of Okwaraji.

“It’s already 33 years since he (Okwaraji) died. You simply reopened the wound once more,” Adeshina instructed our correspondent.

“Okwaraji was a superb participant. I may recall that he was my roommate. We left Belgium collectively for the Eagles sport towards Angola. He was jovial and really pretty.

“He simply slumped on the pitch however I may keep in mind that day that the solar was so scorching even for a few of us like Samson Siasia, Henry Nwosu, the late Stephen Keshi, and myself who had tailored to the Nigerian climate, earlier than we travelled to Europe.

“The climate was so harsh for him. In the event you keep in mind within the first half he didn’t actually play as many Nigerians anticipated.

“After we acquired to the dressing room, our coach then, Paul Hamilton, spoke with him on what was anticipated of him as a result of he was nameless on the pitch.

“So, throughout the three of us, Nwosu, Siasia and myself, we determined to get the ball to him to showcase himself. As a result of the extra he acquired on the ball, the extra he’ll carry out.

“However inside that quick time period, as he was getting the balls from us, he was transferring across the pitch; he couldn’t address the climate.

“Siasia and I have been the closest to him when he slumped. He was substituted that day, and we misplaced him from that time.

“I used to be on the foyer in our lodge when the late Keshi knowledgeable me that the then President, Ibrahim Babangida, referred to as to inform him that Okwaraji had died. It made us so unhappy that night time