Amuneke shares the emotional last moments he had with the late Christian Obi. Discover the deep bond between these two football icons.
Emmanuel Amuneke, the Technical Manager of Heartland FC expressed that he was deeply shocked by Christian Obi’s passing.
Last Friday, August 23rd, the former Chief coach of the Owerri club passed away in a car accident.
While en route to the Ifeanyi Ekwueme TICO/SELECT Preseason Tournament in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, the Naze Millionaires encountered an unexpected setback when their primary vehicle crashed on its way through Umunna, close to Okigwe LGA situated within Imo state.
Amuneke had planned to meet up with the team in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on Saturday morning. His aim was to oversee other logistical arrangements before their first game of the tournament began. However, despite his commitment and punctuality, he unexpectedly found himself at an accident scene where Coach Obi’s life hung precariously by a thread. Amuneke quickly coordinated efforts with others nearby to save him.
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He remained present during the entire procedure at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri until late on Friday to guarantee that all tasks were correctly organized.
Amuneke was on the verge of tears as he witnessed the unfolding events. He expressed that he remained traumatized by Coach Obi’s passing.
“The club experienced a terrible day on Friday, August 23rd due to the accident that took place and the loss of coach Obi. He was an incredibly kind person, so speaking about him in past tense is excruciatingly painful,” expressed Amuneke to the media outlet representing the club.
The tournament we had planned to attend, in order to evaluate the players we signed for this season, has unfolded as it is. While we cannot question God’s plan, I can attest that Coach Obi has been a dependable support system and someone who can be trusted.
On that same Friday, we engaged in a series of meetings with the Imo Government to expedite our players’ registration. Throughout this process, they provided valuable guidance and unwavering support.
Receiving the distress call informing me about the club bus accident and Coach Obi’s situation left me completely devastated. Although it is an unfortunate incident, we will cherish our fond memories of him and remain grateful for his contributions to the club.
In 1985, Coach Obi played for Nigeria U20 team and helped them secure a bronze medal by defeating the host country, USSR in Moscow. The victory came after an intense match that involved penalties and no goals were scored during regulation or extra time. This tournament is currently known as FIFA U-20 World Cup.
During the third place match, he defended the goal and saved three of Soviet Union team’s penalty kicks with heroic efforts. As a result, Nigeria secured a 3-1 victory in the shootout.
Nigeria achieved their inaugural podium finish in FIFA’s second most significant tournament.
Obi, who has since passed away, was a member of Nigeria’s Men’s football team that participated in the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul, Korea.
