Many here on NL were not born when Sam died,so they dont know him..Now these little kids will come to NL and rain insults on people old enough to be their father or mother over political,social,and ethnic issues.. Well that is what u get in social media.Nobody sees each other or knows who is who!!!!!

Osmondinho:
Anything You are doing in this Country... You should always bear Two important Things in Mind. . .


1) Always Collect Your Pay From the Nation

2) Never... I repeat Never you die in the course of Your Duty for the Country...


No one will Remember You!!

Number 2 is arguably. There are people that will remember you. It might not happen in your lifetime, your offsprings or progeny might just be the beneficiaries. Talking from experience.

Proffdada:
I tire o. Even the MOD na bebeto

He has jump the gun.

Extend my greetings to Keshi, Amodu etc....RIP guys

This is my favourite goal by Okwaraji. I searched YouTube for a video of this goal from 2008 till 2016 before I eventually found one. That's because most people on YouTube prefer to post videos of the final, which was also between Nigeria and Cameroon.

This is a group stage match at the 1988 Nations Cup (Maroc '88) between Nigeria and Cameroon. Okwaraji scored in the second minute via a rocket shot from outside the penalty box (this is the kind of shot that Ernest Okonkwo would describe as an "intercontinental ballistic missile). It was the fastest goal at the Nations Cup at that time. Roger Milla equalised in the 21st minute, via a bullet header that beat Peter Rufai and it ended

Nigeria 1-1 Cameroon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY9ZYHyTVwU

My dad and others were at the stadium, but I watched the match on tv at home. I saw when Okwaraji collapsed, when one of the players (I've forgotten who) put his hands on his head in alarm and when Okwaraji was stretchered into the ambulance. I assumed that he was alive and expected to read updates on his condition in the papers the next day.

I also saw as some fans were being carried over the fence and stretchered to the athletics track where Red Cross officials were attending to them. The stadium was too full and it seems that the gates were opened during the second half and there was a scuffle between people who were trying to get into the arena and people who were trying to get out. Some people suffocated, while others were trampled.

But my uncle (who played for Nigeria in the '50s and '60s) showed up at the house after the match. "Where is ****" (my dad). "He's not back", I replied.

"They've killed this boy o!", my uncle exclaimed. I asked who and he replied that Okwaraji was dead. I didn't believe him. "But they put him in the ambulance", I replied. My uncle grew angry. "Which ambulance? Which ambulance? The boy was dead on the pitch. The ambulance was just for show, so that the crowd wouldn't panic".

I still refused to believe him, but I didn't argue, because I could see that he was upset. Instead, I went to my room and prayed, hoped and wished that Okwaraji was still alive. But unfortunately, it was reported on the NTA News that Okwaraji was dead.

The legend lives on...What a classic player we never had!

Okwaraji's death was especially painful because of the nature of the man. At that time there was a dichotomy between the professional players and the home based players.

The professionals made a lot of demands before playing for the national teams. They often arrived camp and training sessions late (in flashy cars) and were always involved in one scandal or the other (eg Etim Esin).

Okwaraji was the opposite. He never caused any problems, often paid his own travel expenses, was always the first to get to camp and was never involved in any scandals. He was a devout christian and was studying for his law degree at an Italian university. He was actually playing in Italy (which most nigerians felt had the best league in the world at the time).

He was a qualified lawyer and he died a hero. continue to rest in peace

RIP... I saw a statue of him at the eyesore Dan Ayiam stadium, Owerri last time i visited.

for those of u who thought he died after scoring the only goal in that match when the Indians wipe us 100 goals to one... Hope una don wake frm u a sleep sha...





On a more serious note, this guy get tattoo for im left hand sha

NigerianTabloid:
Tomorrow, 12th of August, 2016, makes it exactly 27 year since the exit of Nigeria’s first football martyr, Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji‎.

The sad event occurred on a tension-soaked Saturday, 12th August, 1989, during a make or mar Italia 1990 World Cup qualifier match, between the Green Eagles and the boastful Angolan side. The pulsating encounter was held at the now pathetic and rickety National Stadium, in Surulere, Lagos.

http://www.tabloidnig.com/2016/08/27-years-after-remembering-sochukwuma.html

One thing stands out from your post. The national stadium in Surulere was once the pride of Africa at one time. Today, it is a testament to the quality of our maintenance culture. Nigeria is truly a phucked country.

Okwarajiiiii, odigba o seee, ti o ba t'aye wa, a o ma se ranti. ti o ba t'orun bo, a o ma so wipe, iku boolu lo pa bobo yen, okwaraji, odigba o see. Song composed by yorubas for this legend nd still singing it till today in remembrance of him.

ALAYORMII:
Ohhh Okwaraji


Ohhh Okwaraji


Iwo nikan lowo baba. (Only child of Ur dad)

Iwo nikan lowo mama. (Only child of Ur mum)

Tiwon ba ngba boolu lorun. (If they play ball in Heaven)

Ko ge won lege ara. (Dribble them in a special way)

Rest on Samuel

I site you bro.
I sang it then.

fikayor2:
I was born a week after his death

PRISTINEMUSCLES:


Number 2 is arguably. There are people that will remember you. It might not happen in your lifetime, your offsprings or progeny might just be the beneficiaries. Talking from experience.

Am also talking from experience... The government officials will sit on the entitlement of the bereaved family

Sam Okwaraji
was a player
he came to play
for Nigeria
as he was playing
he fell down
that was the end
of his life



Who else knows that song??
.........RIP to the dead......

The best dedication to late Sam Okwaraji was a modern stadium built and dedicated to his name by Imo state govt in early 2007 in his home LGA, Orlu.
The present governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, dismantled the stadium in 2011. The govt has not been able to build a new one.

Orlu people are the most apolitical people, perhaps, in Africa. They do not care about matters and development in their area.

http://vastsportsfacilities.com/webone/home/index.php/ongoing-projects/orlu-township-stadium?page=1

R.I.P

I doesn't knows about him

tysontim:
he took part in the India 99-0 debacle

story for the orunmila

Berlyn:

---

i Don't know him

---

Don't worry dear... It's not your fault. I just blame your social studies teacher

RIP

More videos of Okwaraji.

I remember Maroc '88 very well. The ladies in the house could not get enough of the princes (the crown prince of Morocco and his brother represented King Hassan at the opening ceremony). Parachutists displayed their skill at the opening ceremony and one of them got caught on one of the floodlight towers.

Okwaraji played an important part in some of the most memorable scenes in that nations cup. He scored the fastest goal in nations cup history (I now have NTA's footage of that goal. I.e. english commentary) and he scored during that insane semi-final against Algeria.

That semi-final was crazy. Okwaraji forced an algerian to score an own goal and the match was tied at 1-1 after extra time. Then followed the longest penalty series in nations cup history. Nigeria eventually won 9-8 when Rufai saved Algerian legend, Lakhdar Belloumi's penalty. (Stephen Keshi joked that he told Rufai that he had been diving in one direction all evening and urged him to dive in the opposite direction).


Nigeria vs Cameroon (Your commentators are Fabio Lanipekun and Charles Ojugbana). You can see Stephen Keshi, Henry Nwosu and Samuel Okwaraji singing the anthem.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KGHZiud_Y8

Nigeria vs Algeria


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdcYaOxWtvo

Charles Ojugbana's commentary is hilarious!

"And Egboigbe" (Egboigbe dribbles the algerian), "That's a good one from Egboigbe and RASHIDI YEKINI A OH! AND OH! OKWARAJI OH! AND IT'S A GOAL!!!"

And Peter Rufai is the hero.

I could not sit and watch, yet I could not get up and leave. It was that bad. My dad had left, "Come and call me when it's over", but I knew that he was listening to commentaries on his radio.


Every outfield player had played a penalty. Then the goalkeepers also took their penalties. This video begins when the score was 7-7. You get to see Uche Okafor, Peter Rufai and Augustine Eguavoen's penalties. You can see the Eagles huddled together, praying.

Then, you know what they say about your biggest star missing a penalty. Algerian legend, Lakhdar Belloumi steps up to take his penalty and Rufai tips the ball round the post and sends Nigeria into the final to play Cameroon for the second time at Maroc '88.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsO5CeJAktQ

RealAdewole:
that national lie we all believed

No be small national lie o. A national lie that has the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba versions. The Igbo version says it was Sam Okwaraji that scored the lone goal for Nigeria, the Yoruba version says it was Segun Odegbanmi that scored it. That story eeeh.

RIP

Rip to him

RIP

tysontim:
he took part in the India 99-0 debacle

lol

Continue to RIP great patriot.