Samuel Okwaraji

Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji (19 May 1964 – 12 August 1989) was a professional footballer who played internationally for Nigeria. He was also a qualified lawyer who had a masters in international law from the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.[1] He collapsed and died of congestive heart failure in the 77th minute of a World Cup qualification match against Angola at the Lagos National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on 12 August 1989.

Samuel Okwaraji
Personal information
Full name Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji
Date of birth (1964-05-19)19 May 1964
Place of birth Orlu, Nigeria
Date of death 12 August 1989(1989-08-12) (aged 25)
Place of death Lagos, Nigeria
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1984–1985 AS Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1986 Dinamo Zagreb 1 (0)
1986–1987 Austria Klagenfurt 14 (0)
1987–1989 VfB Stuttgart 0 (0)
1987–1988 → SSV Ulm (loan) 28 (5)
1989 K. Berchem Sport
National team
1988 Nigeria Olympic 4 (0)
1988–1989 Nigeria 8 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Okwaraji was born on 19 May 1964 in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria.

Okwaraji had a career in Europe which included playing for AS Roma (1984-1985), NK Dinamo Zagreb (1985-1986), Austria Klagenfurt (1986-1987), VfB Stuttgart (1987-1989) and SSV Ulm 1846 (loan) (1987-1988) while finishing his education in law. In his short stay with Dinamo Zagreb, Samuel scored 3 goals in a friendly game vs NK Budućnost Hodošan. The game was played on 30 April 1986, and Dinamo Zagreb won 12-0. Samuel's only official game for Dinamo in the Yugoslav First League was as a substitute on 18 May 1986 against FK Priština. The game was played at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb, the 29th round of 1985/86 season. Dinamo Zagreb won 4:3.

He was playing with Belgian side K. Berchem Sport at the time of his death.[2]

International career

He made the Green Eagles squad in 1988 and at that year's African Nations Cup where he scored one of the fastest goals in the history of the championship against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. He played along until the final match, where the Eagles lost to their perennial rivals Cameroon by a lone goal.[3] Okwaraji also made 4 appearances for the Nigerian Olympic team in 1988, one during the qualifiers, and 3 at the Olympics themselves in Nigeria´s 3 games in the group D.[4]

Last game and death

Okwaraji collapsed ten minutes from the end of a 1990 World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos.[5] He died from possible complications of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as an autopsy showed that the 25-year-old had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure.[6][7]

Legacy

May 19, 2019, on what would have been his 55th birthday, he was honored with a Google Doodle.[8]

Honours

National team

Nigeria

See also

References
  1. "Okwaraji comes alive in Abuja". African Soccer Union. 12 August 2009. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  2. The legend of fallen Super Eagles star Samuel Okwaraji – Part two: How he hit the limelight at Naija Super Fans, 28-9-2019, retrieved 4-12-2020
  3. Samuel Okwaraji at National-Football-Teams.com
  4. Samuel Okwaraji at 11v11.com
  5. Audu, Samm (12 August 2009). "Nigeria remembers fallen hero Samuel Okwaraji 20 years after". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  6. Ojo, Tokunbo. "13 Years After Special tribute to Samuel Okwaraji". Gamji. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  7. "2 decades after a Patriot's death". Nigerian Tribune. African Newspapers of Nigeria plc. 10 August 2009. Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  8. "Samuel Okwaraji's 55th Birthday". Google. Google. 19 May 2019.
  1. Sam Okwaraji's Bust
  2. Okwaraji: Thumbs down for FG, NFA

External sources
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