The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chinedu Udoji

  • Udoji Family gets N3million from Gov .Ganduje

     

    Kano state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Saturday donated the sum of N3 million to the family of late Kano Pillars player, Chinedu Udoji.

    The Governor who was physically present to present the cash to the wife of the late player, attended the event with some of his staff.

    Chinedu Udoji who was aged 28, it will be recalled passed on recently after a ghastly motor accident  shortly after a league match between Kano Pillars and his former club Enyimba which ended 1-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

    Chinedu had gone to say hello to his former teammates at their hotel and was on his way back when the accident which took his life occurred leaving behind his wife, two children and his parents.

    The late centre back many who reacted to his death said was full of humility and was described as an easy going fellow who got along very well with his teammates, technical crew and friends.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Tributes pour in as soccer world mourns Udoji

    Tributes pour in as soccer world mourns Udoji

     

    What next for the young family of late Kano pillars defender Chinedu Udoji? That is the question that has enveloped the mind of friends, teammates, club administrators and family members alike as tributes continues to pour in following his sudden death Sunday night in a ghastly motor accident.

    The accident which occurred along club Road in Kano took the life of the 28 year old player who only few hours back emerged Man of Match in a Premier league tie that was action packed.

    Udoji had gone to visit his former Enyimba teammates after the Pillars vs Enyimba match which ended 1-1 but never made it back home.

    Pillars announced the passing away of their dependable defender revealing the shock that has taken over the camp as a result of the incident.”Tragedy hits Pillars as we lost Chinedu Udoji after a terrific car accident in Kano. The untimely death of Chinedu Udoji is shocking and a great loss to the football family,” the club stated.

    The camp of Enyimba was equally thrown into mourning for Udoji who captained the Peoples Elephant to win the 2014 Federation Cup and 2015 Nigeria Professional Football League titles.

    Late Udoji has been described by teammates on both divides as a dependable team player and a motivator.

    Picture of the vehicle posted on twitter by Kano Pillars indicate a total wreck.

    Udoji was heading back to his residence in Badawa Quarters in his car with registration number, KSF 499 BF when the incident occurred.

    The deceased captained Enyimba for five years. Chairman of Enyimba Felix Agwu, in a statement in Lagos described Udoji’s death as shocking.

    “Words cannot convey either the depth of our pain or the intensity of our anguish over the death of Udoji.

    “What we can do in this hour of sadness, however, is to pray to God to strengthen the family he left behind, the teammates he so passionately inspired and his friends and fans, “he said

    Udoji joined our club in 2009 and captained the club for five seasons before his departure in 2016 to Kano Pillars.

    The Nigeria football federation (NFF) also described the incident as shocking and prayed for the family at their hour of grief

    The demise of @pillarsfc defender Chinedu Udoji comes as a rude shock to us this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and club. May his soul rest in peace. #RIPUdoji,” the Glass house stated on Monday.

  • Kano Pillars mourn late Udoji, say he was an asset

    Kano Pillars mourn late Udoji, say he was an asset

    Kano Pillars Football Club’s Technical Committee Chairman, on Monday in Kano described the late Chinedu Udoji as an asset and a dedicated player.
    Chinedu Udoji, a central defender, died in a ghastly motor accident Sunday night, some hours after playing in the club’s home 1-1 draw with visiting Enyimba International FC of Aba.
    “His death was shocking and a great loss to the football family,’’ Haladu said in a statement signed by the club’s Media Officer, Rilwanu Malikawa.
    Udoji lost his life along Independence road in the Bompai area of Kano.
    According to reports, he was heading to his Badawa quarters residence after he visited the hotel where members of Enyimba International FC had lodged for the Match Day 9 fixture.

    READ ALSO: Kano Pillars confirm Udoji’s death

    Udoji spent many years with Enyimba, where he won several honours with them before joining Kano Pillars two years ago.
    He was said to be riding alone in his car with registration number KSF 499 BF when the accident happened.
    The corpse of the late Udoji has been deposited at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano and the incident reported to the Bompai Police Division.
    Haladu said the Kano Pillars’ management, technical crew, players, fans and the entire football family in Kano were in shock Monday morning following the player’s death.
    He said the club officials were processing all necessary documentation before taking Udoji’s corpse to his family for burial.
    “Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fans, and football lovers all across the country,” Kano Pillars also said in a tweet about the incident.
    Born in 1989, the centre-back joined Kano Pillars ahead of the 2016/2017 season after spending seven years with Enyimba following his arrival from FC Abuja.
    He is survived by his wife and kids.

    NAN

  • Kano Pillars confirm Udoji’s death

    Kano Pillars confirm Udoji’s death

    The management of Kano Pillars FC on Monday confirmed the death of their defender, Chinedu Udoji, who died in a ghastly auto crash in Kano late on Sunday.

    The Media Officer of the club, Idris Malikwa, told our reporter in Kano that the players was involved in a car accident after visiting his former team mates at Enyimba FC in a hotel.

    “This tragic accident happened along Club Road in Kano and his remains had been deposited at the Murtala Muhammad Hospital Mortuary.”‎

    Malikawa said that an official of Kano Pillars was processing a police report on the accident at the Kano State Police Command headquarters in Bompai, Kano.

    Udoji was voted Man of the Match in the NPFL Week 9 match against his former club, Enyimba, which ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

    The defender joined Kano Pillars last season after spending seven years with Enyimba. He had also played for FC Abuja.

    NAN

  • NPFL: Wikki Tourists beat Kano Pillars 2-0

    NPFL: Wikki Tourists beat Kano Pillars 2-0

    Hosts Wikki Tourists Football Club of Bauchi on Sunday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium defeated Kano Pillars FC of Kano 2-0 in a 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture.

    Wikki Tourists scored the opening goal of the Match Day 28 fixture eight minutes into the game through Alhmed Usman after he wriggled past the visiting defenceline.

    They scored their second goal 48 minutes into the match through Chinedu Aneibor when he made good use of a deflection by right winger Ambrose Peter.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wikki Tourists were with a more purposeful and coordinated approach, but poor finishing by their strikers robbed them of scoring many goals.

    Kano Pillars, on their part, dominated the game in the second half, only to find their rhythm affected by three yellow cards received by Rabiu Ali, Chinedu Udoji and Ibrahim Alassan.

    Bala Nikyu, Chief Coach of Wikki Tourists, later described the match’s officiating as fantastic.

    “In our last three matches, the officiating especially in Ibadan was fantastic. In this one too, the officiating was good.’’

    He attributed the successes he had recorded since he assumed leadership of the team to the cordial relationship between him and the players.

    Ibrahim Musa, the Chief Coach of Kano Pillars, on his part described Wikki Tourists as “a good team’’.

    “But my boys too played very well, in spite of the little mistakes.

    “When we go back to Kano, we will see how we can correct such mistakes before our next match,” the coach said.

  • Chinedu Udoji leads 4 Enyimba stars to Pillars

    Chinedu Udoji leads 4 Enyimba stars to Pillars

    Four  top Enyimba stars led by skipper Chinedu Udoji have stormed Kano to sign       a deal with Kano Pillars for the new season.

    The other players are midfielders Kamal Salaudeen, Razak Aliyu and long-serving defender Emmanuel Anyanwu.

    “It will be great to reunite with my former coach (Kadiri Ikhana), who believes in me and knows what I can do. He is a coach who knows what he wants. I am ready to play for Kano Pillars” said Salaudeen.

  • Udoji: We are sorry

    Udoji: We are sorry

    Captain of Enyimba FC of Aba, Chinedu Udoji has apologised on behalf of his team after their 1-2 home loss to AS Real Bamako in their first leg, first round of the CAF Champions league match in Aba, Sunday.

    “I want to say sorry to our fans that came to watch us yesterday (Sunday). I know you guys are not happy,” Udoji began on his Facebook wall.

    “I know we didn’t play well, but we believe we can still qualify by God’s grace. We need your prayers and support.

    “Sorry once again,” the Enyimba skipper wrote.

    Enyimba will travel to Mali this weekend for the second leg with hope to upturn the scoreline and progress to the next stage of the competition.

     

  • CAF qualification is for Nigeria — Udoji

    CAF qualification is for Nigeria — Udoji

    Captain Chinedu Udoji says Enyimba’s qualification to the next stage of the CAF Champions League is for fans of the club who have been overwhelmingly supportive since the start of the competition and Nigeria as a whole.

    Enyimba advanced to the first round of the tournament after a 4-3 aggregate win over Togo’s Anges de Notse and Udoji was a vital part in the return leg fixture played last Sunday inside the Stade Municipal which the Togolese won 2-1.

    “We have worked very hard and fully deserve to go through,” he told EnyimbaFC.net after the game. “Everything that we have experienced in this town has not been good but we have stayed strong to end up qualifying.”

    “Even though we lost the match, we didn’t lose what was more important, which is qualification to the first round. Now that we have achieved it, we can look ahead to the next game,” Udoji declared.

    “But we know that without our fans all these won’t be possible, so I have to thank them very well, including the ones who visited the stadium on Sunday to cheer us up. We know Kano Pillars are no longer in the competition and we could not afford to let our country down so this qualification is dedicated to our great Nigeria.

    “Our Club Chairman, and the Nigerian Ambassador to Togo (Ambassador Sunday Matthew Adoli) have all played great roles and I give them special thanks too. All the officials who came with us showed good courage in the face of everything Anges de Notse did and we are happy that in the end we have not let them down.”

    “The only thing to do now is return to Nigeria and prepare very well for our next opponents who are very good,” he stated.

    Enyimba will host AS Real Bamako of Mali on March 2nd in the first leg of the first round tie.