Maduka Okoro, a media aide to former governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has emphasized that his principal’s 8 years in office between 1999-2006 saw Enyimba Football Club retain the status of Nigerian champion for six years.
Mr. Okoro in a chat with ABN TV on Sunday said this achievement was in line with the promise Sen. Kalu made to the people of the State during his campaign in 1999.
He also observed that Kalu, who is the senator representing Abia North senatorial district resuscitated Enyimba FC, saying before he (Kalu) came into office, the club was in a bad shape, underlining that it was almost going down to second division when the former governor came and gave it a new life.
He said among the first steps Kalu took to bring life into the club was to bring in new players and bring back some of the good old ones who left the club as a result of frustration.
“Apart from being Nigerian champion for six years, Enyimba under him also carried the Confederation of African Football, CAF super league twice.
Also Read: Orji Kalu Produced First Millionaire Footballers In Nigeria – Fmr Enyimba Star, Ozurumba
“The club was about winning the third time before CAF sabotaged them and stopped them from picking the cup because of its cost. They had no money to buy and that was why they undermined Kalu’s efforts” Okoro said.
He described Kalu as a regular face at the School Road league in Umuahia before he became governor, adding that the fortunes of Enyimba has depreciated since he left office as Governor.
In a recent interview with ABN TV, Chibuzor Ozurumba, a member of the 2003/2004 Enyimba team that won CAF champions league in two successive times extolled Sen. Kalu’s contribution as reviving Enyimba when he came into office.
He added that Kalu produced the first millionaires in the Nigerian football league.
“He succeeded in bringing Emeka Ezenwa and other great players. And you remember what happened, Enyimba turned to a global team, conquering Africa, became African champion back to back, something that has never happened before” he said in a chat with ABN TV.
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