All honour that should be accorded the first Nigerian player to die during national team action, Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji has been rubbished in Orlu, Imo State, as a stadium which carries his name is in ruins.
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On the spot checks by Sports247 at the expansive arena that was opened during the tenure of Governor Achike Udenwa, who hailed from Orlu, revealed an abandoned edifice that is now an eyesore to the community.
Residents in the vicinity of the abandoned complex disclosed that the arena had in the distant past hosted some matches of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) involving Heartland FC of Owerri, as well as build-up games for the under-17 national team, Golden Eaglets.
However, things changed when Governor Rochas Okorocha, who also hailed from the area, declared that the stadium would get a face lift under his administration.
“We are so sad that it was Governor Rochas, who was meant to make Samuel Okwaraji happy in the grave, who dishonoured him by abandoning this stadium,” said an indigene of the community.
He added, “Government officials came one day and removed the seats, with a pledge that they would be replaced with better ones, but that never happened.
“All of a sudden, everything that was going on at the stadium stopped, and things got from bad to worst during the period of insecurity in Orlu.”
Sports247 noted further that the stadium has been turned into a base camp for community policing vigilantes, but now overgrown with weeds, though it stands next door to the headquarters of Orlu local government area.
A community leader who also spoke to Sports247 on the issue promised to take up the matter in order to revive fond memories of Okwaraji, who died on August 12th, 1989 during Nigeria’s 1990 World Cup qualifier versus Angola at Lagos National Stadium.
