
Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji was a prolific and professional Nigerian football player who represented international clubs and his country.
Samuel Okwaraji was born in Orlu, Imo State on the 19th of May, 1964. Samuel was a graduate of law from the University of Rome, Italy, but did not take up the profession after schooling.
While bagging his MSC in international law in the University of Rome, Samuel Okwaraji played for NK Dinamo Zagreb, VfB Stuttgart and SSV Ulm 1946 where he performed exceptionally.
In 1988, Samuel Okwaraji made his way into the Green Eagles squad at the African Nations Cup played that same year in Morocco, where he did the unexpected by netting one of the fastest goals (60s) in the competition against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, The Hosts of this year’s tournament.
Sam Okwaraji also played at the ‘1988 Summer Olympics‘that was held in Seoul, South Korea. He played alongside other professionals like Samson Siasia, Rashidi Yekeni, Bright Omokaro, Wole Odegbami, Christain Obi, Jude Agada, Henry Nwosu and so on.
On the 12th of August 1989, at the age of 25, Samuel Okwaraji slumped after suffering a cardiac arrest in the 77th minute of a 2nd round World Cup qualifier match against Angola at the Surulere Stadium now Lagos National Stadium. The ambulance failed to start, and medics couldn’t get him to the hospital in time. He unfortunately died on the football pitch before the eyes of 20,000 spectators.
This was a big loss for Nigeria at the time. He was given a befitting and heroic burial in his hometown, Umudioka Community in Imo State. On August 12, 2009, as a way of immortalizing this icon, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State erected a concrete burst of Samuel Okwaraji in front of Lagos National Stadium, the same stadium where he died.


