By Dan Ikpechukwu, Atlanta

The city of Atlanta, USA is today witnessing a convergence of former and current soccer stars and lovers of the game of soccer as former players of Enugu Rangers International Football Club resident in the United States of America under the name, Ex-Enugu Rangers USA Incorporated are organizing an event to honor the legends of the club and Nigerian football as well.

Speaking to Vanguard Newspaper in Atlanta, the founding and present chairman of the organization Donald Igwebuike who played for Rangers International and Green Eagles in the 70s, disclosed that the event is aimed at not only honoring the former Rangers players who used their skill to entertain and win laurels for the great city of Enugu in Nigeria but to also immortalize one of the greatest soccer clubs in Africa, Enugu Rangers.

Igwebuike popularly known as “stone” during his playing days both in Nigeria and the USA, enthused, “we are exceedingly excited as ex-Rangers players living in the US to have the opportunity of uniting for a common purpose to cherish the club which brought out the best in us and to also continue to help and encourage each other as we use to do in the field.” He went further to enumerate that the mission of the organization is to use their financial resources to help former players of the club who are either going through some health or life challenges, continue to enjoy the unity of the members of the organization and sow the seed with the current players of the team.

In attendance in the Atlanta event today are notable legends of the club like the longest captain of Rangers and Eagles, “chairman” Christian Chukwu and keeper Emma Okala. Others are Ikechukwu Ofoje, Sam Onyeka, Ifeanyi Onyedika, Totty Okoro Totty, Nwankwo Kanu and Jay Jay Okocha. Others are Mike Nwanolue, Nnamdi Anyafor, Emma Merenini, Kenneth Boardman, Dominic Ezeani, Mike Emenalo, Azuka Harbor, Charles Adimora, Kenneth Ilodigwe, Anthony Orji, Charles Okonkwo and Chibuzor Ehilegbu.

Nigerian match commissioner and seasoned soccer administrator as well as Nollywood star, Diewait Ikpechukwu is expected to be the keynote speaker at the event while Dr. Chuka Onwumechili, a professor of communication at Howard University in Washington DC will be on hand to provide some background history of the club as a former sports writer in Nigeria.