Sam Okwaraji
Twenty five years after he died playing for Nigeria at the National Stadium in Lagos, the family of Sam Okwaraji would wish the arena is named after the fallen football star.
A bust of Okwaraji at the entrance of the National Stadium Lagos is the only reminder of how Okwaraji at the age of 24 died on August 12, 1989, while playing for the Super Eagles in a 1990 World Cup qualifier against Angola.
Okwaraji’s brother, Patrick Okwaraji, told AfricanFootball.com his family is disappointed the football star has yet to be immortalised by the country he died for.
“The Okwarajis will want the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, where Sam took his last breath, to be renamed after him,” Patrick Okwaraji said.
“This is not too much to do for a man who gave all to his country and died doing so.
“Okwaraji died while in active service for Nigeria, we are therefore calling on the authorities to immortalise Samuel Okwaraji, a man whose life and legacies have continued to inspire and motivate our people.
“Nigeria should learn and start to celebrate our true heroes so as to encourage, inspire and motivate our people.
“We may be wrong in blowing this trumpet ourselves, but what do you do in the face of a nation’s negligence This is a situation that has continuously affected the psyche of our sports persons generally and has supported the culture of lack of commitment and patriotism.”
