Today, i pause with heavy hearts to honor and celebrate the life of a man who was so much more than a friend, a teammate, or a fellow coach.
Christian “Chairman” Chukwu was a pillar — a leader, a friend, a brother, and an inspiration.
On the field, ‘Charman’ was the embodiment of commitment and excellence. Whether as a player or part of the coaching crew, he led by example — never asking more of others than he was willing to give himself. He carried the game in his heart and gave it everything, every single time.
My play alongside him was short in the National team camp in 1977, i witnessed passion in motion. To coach beside him was to see what true dedication looked like.
But beyond the game, it was the man we cherished most. “Chairman,” as we all fondly called him, had a way of making people feel seen, heard, and valued. His laughter was contagious, his advice always timely, and his presence reassuring. He made his friends and players better — not just as athletes, but as people.His legacy lives on in each of everyone that came across him.
I remember with fond memories, the time we took the appointment of assistant coaches to Clemence Westerhof from 1992 to 1994.The journey of which the country will never forget.A journey where we were active behind the scenes and after that we were dropped at the end with no major reason but we took it as service and moved on.
Also, our stint to the Nations cup in 2004, where we also produced a great team that won almost all without the trophy this time around.
‘Chairman’ may no longer walk beside us in the physical sense, but his spirit, his values, and his love remain deeply rooted in all and in our hearts.
Rest in peace, Chairman. Thank you for everything. You were truly one of a kind, and you will never be forgotten.
Coach Bitrus Yigol Bewarang, JP, MON.
