Judith Chime canvasses for immortalization of late Super Falcons icon Ifeanyi Chiejine

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Former Nigeria goalkeeper Judith Chime has appealed for Ifeanyi Chiejine to be immortalised after the successful organisation of the maiden Memorial Cup in commemoration of the late Super Falcons star in Asaba.

Chiejine was the youngest in the Super Falcons squad at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup at age of 16 years and 34 days – whose record still stands till date as the youngest player to feature at the global showpiece.

“I pray both at the national, or state level can just name something after Ifeanyi Chiejine because she deserves it. If they can do it for Stephen Keshi, Ifeanyi deserves the same thing.

“This tournament is going to be every year. Ifeanyi can not die twice. She has gone but still lives and that’s the main message here. It’s going to be every year and I am willing to do it.

“Ifeanyi started playing for Flying Babes. She was a kid that actually respected me a lot as a sports daughter. Tried to let her do one or two things. When she came to the Super Falcons camp, she was the youngest. Ifeanyi paid homage and made sure that respect is being given to everybody that is older than her.”

The maiden tournament featured clubs from second-tierr Nigeria Women Football League Championship, third-tier NWFL Nationwide, and grassroots clubs, with Prince Kazeem Eletu Queens of Lagos claiming the inaugural title.

“Ifeanyi’s death was personal to me because when she died, I was just walking away from my mother’s grave. I just buried my mum. When I heard about her death, I broke down. There was no time that I remembered my mother without remembering Ifeanyi. That’s why Ifeanyi is going to live on no matter what it takes,” she continued.

“We are hoping other states host the tournament. I am praying that other states try to do better because the reason why I chose Delta State is because Ifeanyi is a Delta born. It would be a slap on their face if I take their child to somebody else or another state to host it.

“After all, I am not from Delta state but from Enugu state. I could have gone to my state to do it but I chose to be here because it would be a perfect respect for them to honour their own. After now, I would try and do it in other states,” she concluded.

The ex-Super Falcons player, Ifeanyi started her football career with Flying Babes FC, Lagos, and played for various NWFL clubs like Pelican Stars, Confluence Queens, and FCT Queens.

She was also part of the successful Bayelsa Queens side that won the league back to back in 2006 and 2007 alongside Evelyn Nwabuoku, Onome Ebi, among others. Ifeanyi died on August 21, 2019, at the age of 36, and last played for SSVSM-Kairat Almaty in the Kazakhstani Championship.