The President of the Nigerian Handball Federation (HFN), Mr. Samuel Ocheho, expressed his shock at the death of coach Ephraim Chukwuemeka, who was the coach of the national handball team that participated in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
Coach Chukwuemeka died on January 2 after a brief illness in Isikwuato, Abia State at the age of 82.
Ocheho said that Nigeria has lost one of the great men who did great things that have made handball a sport that is now taken into account.
He further said that the late manager Ephraim Chukwuemeka was the reason Imo Grasshopper was once a feared team on the mainland transferring to the national team setup.
“The Nigerian handball family has lost one of the greatest coaches who brought us glory in Coach Ephraim Chukwuemeka.” Ocheho said.
“The exploits of the national team leading up to the Barcelona 92 Olympics and how the quintessential coach Chukwuemeka ensured Nigeria qualified for the Olympics against all odds come to mind.
Coach Chukwuemeka along with coach Paulinus Chukwu, whom he helped in the national team and is also a latecomer, were essentially one of the many reasons why Imo Grasshoppers of Owerri was once feared on the mainland.
We will never forget all his great deeds,” concluded Ocheho.
Coach Chukwuemeka was the assistant to the late coach Paulinus Chukwu, who led the national team leading to the Barcelona Games.
The team, against all odds, defeated the then highly rated team of Angola in the African Handball Championship in Egypt to qualify for the Olympics, making them the first team sport from Nigeria to qualify for the Olympics.
The late coach Chukwuemeka was also a soccer referee with the FIFA badge.
Some handball stakeholders also paid tribute to coach Chukwuemeka.
Dr. Toyin Esther Aluko, a member of the executive board of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and the team’s chaperone at the Barcelona Games, commented that Coach Chukwuemeka lived a good life and he will be greatly missed.
A former President of the Nigerian Handball Federation (HFN), Mr. Lanre Glover, while paying tribute to coach Chukwuemeka, said that the HFN at that time made the decision for the coaches to take the team to Barcelona after seeing their great performance with Imo Grasshoppers. from Owerri.
Coach Chukwuemeka will be buried on February 10, 2022 at his ancestral home, Amiyi, Obilohia Isikwuato, Abia State.
Post Views: Sixty-five
