TRIBUTES have continue to trail the passage of former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board member and chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), Chidi Ofo Okenwa, whose remains were committed to earth on Friday.
Late Okenwa, who until his death was also chairman of the Enugu State Football Association, was interred at his family compound, Ogonogo Eji by Akpugo in the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu, amidst tributes.
In a tribute delivered to the family, President of NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick wrote: “Everyone connected in one way or the other with Nigerian football realises that a big tree has fallen in our country’s game and this particular tree would be hard to replace. Okenwa started his education in football administration quite early and learnt so well that at the time he died, he was right there at the top of his game and in the vanguard of those who could be termed the chief custodians and oracles of the Statutes, Rules, Regulations and Conventions of association football within the Nigerian territory and beyond.
At the final rites of passage for the departed Okenwa, a member of the NFF board, Ibrahim Gusau described Okenwa as “a hero and encyclopedia. His knowledge of the game was quite vast. He lived a good and virtuous life and will always be in our hearts.”
Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Chairman of Enyimba FC, described Okenwa as a “pace-setter” and “in- novator” with grassroots development programmes, promising that this would be sustained in the South- East region.