Very sad story of John Chidozie (UPDATED)
Moderators: Moderator Team, phpBB2 - Administrators
-
Toxicarrow
- Egg
- Posts: 9667
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:39 am
- Contact:
Very sad story of John Chidozie (UPDATED)
Wanted: John Chidozie
By Segun Odegbami
Published: Saturday, 26 Aug 2006
Maria Kehinde Chidozie (nee Odogwu), from Ogwashiuku, Delta State, died two weeks ago. For over 15 years she had told everyone around her that I was her son. Every time we met she would hug and kiss me and enquire if I had any news on her biological children, two of whom she never saw for over 35 years. I believe she had three sons - John, Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul are twins and for that reason she was popularly called Mama Ibeji even though she was one of a pair of twins herself. Her twin brother I learnt died a few years ago. John is the first of her children. He is the one I know very well – John Chidozie, the ex-Norwich City, ex-Nigerian football international player.
The Chidozie boys had been taken from the Biafra Eastern Nigerian territory to the UK during the Nigerian civil war as refugees and had been adopted by a British family. For several years after the end of the war she did not hear about or from any of her children.
As faith would have it John became a very famous footballer. He played in the English league in the late 1970s and his performances caught the attention of Nigerian football officials who, after confirmation that he was a Nigerian, decided to invite him to represent his country of birth. With his Nigerian compatriot in Norwich City Football Club, Tunji Banjo, they returned home in 1981 to join the Green Eagles for the qualifying matches of the 1982 World Cup.
John was a great player. So good was he on the right wing that whenever we had to play together I was made to relinquish that position that, for several years before then, had almost always been exclusively mine. I was often moved to the inside or centre-forward position just so that John found a place in the team.
John flew. He was so quick on the ball that he often left defenders for dead when he took them on (which was what he did most of the time). He loved to take on defenders. In those days wingers were encouraged and taught to do just that. On the flanks, effectiveness was measured by a player’s ability to take on defenders, go round them down the line, get to the by-line and make deadly crosses. Chidozie did all that and more – he also scored a lot of goals from the wings. He was a great asset with his powerful shooting ability, dribbling skills and incredible acceleration.
Lost and found
John’s return to Nigeria was a major media blitz. That was how Maria Chidozie, living in Surulere, Lagos, at the time, got to know that her “lost” son was in Nigeria. She visited several newspaper houses seeking how to locate the son she had not seen since the children were whisked off over 10 years before to the UK. She had photographs of the children when they were toddlers and carried them with her everywhere she went. With the help of a few journalists in Sports Souvenir in particular the re-union of mother and son was done. It was a fairytale, but a very temporary one.
John took time off camp to visit her at her Surulere abode and each time he lavished gifts on her. He did this several times in that period of almost two years when I was captain of the national team. That’s when I got to know her.
The fairytale did not last long. After the fall of the Eagles in 1982 following failure to qualify for the 1982 World Cup finals, two things happened in rapid succession. John stopped featuring for the national team and his visits to Nigeria stopped. Secondly, on his return to the UK he suffered a bad knee injury. For months he went from one surgery table to another in search of permanent treatment for his damaged ligament. He never fully recovered. He was subsequently forced to give up football entirely. The money he had made from the game as a professional player dwindled fast. He was reported to have run into hard times. He disappeared from the football and social scene. His mum never heard from him again. Very few people have seen him since then, and fewer still know his whereabouts in the UK. His siblings have also never contacted their mother in Nigeria. For a short while she saw glimpses of Paradise only for it to be brutally snatched away from her again by fate. It was anguish hard to imagine. The psychological trauma was too much for her to bear. It indeed broke and wrecked her. She went into hard times and almost lost her mind in her endless search for news about her children. That’s when I became her “son.”
She saw me as one that could make help her to seek out her children, particularly John, wherever they were in the UK. I tried my best. I asked people I knew in England. It was a blank for years until one day a lucky break came when late Nigerian Minister of Sports, Stephen Akiga, wanted to honour some past Nigerian sports heroes and John’s name came up. He was to be made one of the Sports Ambassadors of Nigeria. In the search for John I met Gary Mabbutt, ex-captain and central defender for Tottenham Hotspurs, and ex-England international. Gary knew John and told me they had met accidentally shortly before my meeting with him in London. He told me John was somewhere in the suburbs of England living a very reclusive life. He assured me though that he looked well and healthy. The ministry tried to reach him through the Nigerian Embassy in London and also through Gary. I do not know for sure if they succeeded because he neither responded to the invitation of the ministry nor showed up for the event. That was like three years ago.
And Maria Chidozie dies
So, Maria Chidozies hope to see her son again was once again dashed, this time with more devastating consequences. She broke down completely and never quite recovered. She withdrew into her narrow prison of existence, living alone in abject penury. Not a word, not a letter, nothing came from her children across the Atlantic to lessen her pain. There was just the deadly silence of abandonment to keep her company.
Many years before then, through my intervention, Pepsi, the soft drinks company, on learning of her plight, had donated a branded kiosk as well as some crates of drinks to her so that she could sustain herself. The kiosk is now outside the ground floor of my office block in Yaba, Lagos, empty!Initially she used to come to sell soft drinks but due to ill health her visits became infrequent until she stopped altogether.
Finally, two weeks ago, after many years of protracted ill health she died quietly in her village. Early this week, her younger brother of the same father, Eze Ebegbue, came to my office to inform me that Maria Chidozie was dead. She had passed on about two weeks ago in the village where they had had to take her when her health condition took a turn for the worst.She is yet to be buried because word is needed from John, Peter and Paul in the UK on their contributions to the burial arrangements. I am once again mandated to try and locate them.
Meanwhile, I join the family in mourning the loss of my mother,” the mother of one of the great footballing giants in Nigerias past.
I am not so sure what to make of this entire story, as I know little of the finer details of the whys and the hows. I know not, therefore, who to blame, and so I wont. What I believe however is that it is best that she has gone to her Creator to restat last!
Adieu Mummy!
Printer Friendly Version
By Segun Odegbami
Published: Saturday, 26 Aug 2006
Maria Kehinde Chidozie (nee Odogwu), from Ogwashiuku, Delta State, died two weeks ago. For over 15 years she had told everyone around her that I was her son. Every time we met she would hug and kiss me and enquire if I had any news on her biological children, two of whom she never saw for over 35 years. I believe she had three sons - John, Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul are twins and for that reason she was popularly called Mama Ibeji even though she was one of a pair of twins herself. Her twin brother I learnt died a few years ago. John is the first of her children. He is the one I know very well – John Chidozie, the ex-Norwich City, ex-Nigerian football international player.
The Chidozie boys had been taken from the Biafra Eastern Nigerian territory to the UK during the Nigerian civil war as refugees and had been adopted by a British family. For several years after the end of the war she did not hear about or from any of her children.
As faith would have it John became a very famous footballer. He played in the English league in the late 1970s and his performances caught the attention of Nigerian football officials who, after confirmation that he was a Nigerian, decided to invite him to represent his country of birth. With his Nigerian compatriot in Norwich City Football Club, Tunji Banjo, they returned home in 1981 to join the Green Eagles for the qualifying matches of the 1982 World Cup.
John was a great player. So good was he on the right wing that whenever we had to play together I was made to relinquish that position that, for several years before then, had almost always been exclusively mine. I was often moved to the inside or centre-forward position just so that John found a place in the team.
John flew. He was so quick on the ball that he often left defenders for dead when he took them on (which was what he did most of the time). He loved to take on defenders. In those days wingers were encouraged and taught to do just that. On the flanks, effectiveness was measured by a player’s ability to take on defenders, go round them down the line, get to the by-line and make deadly crosses. Chidozie did all that and more – he also scored a lot of goals from the wings. He was a great asset with his powerful shooting ability, dribbling skills and incredible acceleration.
Lost and found
John’s return to Nigeria was a major media blitz. That was how Maria Chidozie, living in Surulere, Lagos, at the time, got to know that her “lost” son was in Nigeria. She visited several newspaper houses seeking how to locate the son she had not seen since the children were whisked off over 10 years before to the UK. She had photographs of the children when they were toddlers and carried them with her everywhere she went. With the help of a few journalists in Sports Souvenir in particular the re-union of mother and son was done. It was a fairytale, but a very temporary one.
John took time off camp to visit her at her Surulere abode and each time he lavished gifts on her. He did this several times in that period of almost two years when I was captain of the national team. That’s when I got to know her.
The fairytale did not last long. After the fall of the Eagles in 1982 following failure to qualify for the 1982 World Cup finals, two things happened in rapid succession. John stopped featuring for the national team and his visits to Nigeria stopped. Secondly, on his return to the UK he suffered a bad knee injury. For months he went from one surgery table to another in search of permanent treatment for his damaged ligament. He never fully recovered. He was subsequently forced to give up football entirely. The money he had made from the game as a professional player dwindled fast. He was reported to have run into hard times. He disappeared from the football and social scene. His mum never heard from him again. Very few people have seen him since then, and fewer still know his whereabouts in the UK. His siblings have also never contacted their mother in Nigeria. For a short while she saw glimpses of Paradise only for it to be brutally snatched away from her again by fate. It was anguish hard to imagine. The psychological trauma was too much for her to bear. It indeed broke and wrecked her. She went into hard times and almost lost her mind in her endless search for news about her children. That’s when I became her “son.”
She saw me as one that could make help her to seek out her children, particularly John, wherever they were in the UK. I tried my best. I asked people I knew in England. It was a blank for years until one day a lucky break came when late Nigerian Minister of Sports, Stephen Akiga, wanted to honour some past Nigerian sports heroes and John’s name came up. He was to be made one of the Sports Ambassadors of Nigeria. In the search for John I met Gary Mabbutt, ex-captain and central defender for Tottenham Hotspurs, and ex-England international. Gary knew John and told me they had met accidentally shortly before my meeting with him in London. He told me John was somewhere in the suburbs of England living a very reclusive life. He assured me though that he looked well and healthy. The ministry tried to reach him through the Nigerian Embassy in London and also through Gary. I do not know for sure if they succeeded because he neither responded to the invitation of the ministry nor showed up for the event. That was like three years ago.
And Maria Chidozie dies
So, Maria Chidozies hope to see her son again was once again dashed, this time with more devastating consequences. She broke down completely and never quite recovered. She withdrew into her narrow prison of existence, living alone in abject penury. Not a word, not a letter, nothing came from her children across the Atlantic to lessen her pain. There was just the deadly silence of abandonment to keep her company.
Many years before then, through my intervention, Pepsi, the soft drinks company, on learning of her plight, had donated a branded kiosk as well as some crates of drinks to her so that she could sustain herself. The kiosk is now outside the ground floor of my office block in Yaba, Lagos, empty!Initially she used to come to sell soft drinks but due to ill health her visits became infrequent until she stopped altogether.
Finally, two weeks ago, after many years of protracted ill health she died quietly in her village. Early this week, her younger brother of the same father, Eze Ebegbue, came to my office to inform me that Maria Chidozie was dead. She had passed on about two weeks ago in the village where they had had to take her when her health condition took a turn for the worst.She is yet to be buried because word is needed from John, Peter and Paul in the UK on their contributions to the burial arrangements. I am once again mandated to try and locate them.
Meanwhile, I join the family in mourning the loss of my mother,” the mother of one of the great footballing giants in Nigerias past.
I am not so sure what to make of this entire story, as I know little of the finer details of the whys and the hows. I know not, therefore, who to blame, and so I wont. What I believe however is that it is best that she has gone to her Creator to restat last!
Adieu Mummy!
Printer Friendly Version
Last edited by Toxicarrow on Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Check out Sooting's website:
https://shootingstarssc.com/
https://shootingstarssc.com/
-
Toluchukwu
- Egg
- Posts: 1978
- Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:19 pm
- Location: Washington DC
Change the headline to correctly read "Chidozie"...
My first reaction was: wtf is Chigozie? Another 'Hey You'?
If folks realize it is ex-Eagle Chidozie, it will strike a cord.
May her mother's soul rest in eternal peace.
<
_________________________
My first reaction was: wtf is Chigozie? Another 'Hey You'?
If folks realize it is ex-Eagle Chidozie, it will strike a cord.
May her mother's soul rest in eternal peace.
<
_________________________
Last edited by Gotti on Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By the way, Gotti, I guess you omitted an "a" there.Gotti wrote:Change the headline to correctly read "Chidozie"...
My first reaction was: wtf is Chigozie? Another 'Hey You'?
If folks realize it is ex-Eagle Chidozie, it will strike a cord.
My her mother's soul rest in eternal peace.
<
I used to hear his name when I was very little. May her soul rest in peace. The bottomline of this story is that we should make hays while the sun shines!
-
cic old boy
- Flying Eagle
- Posts: 64227
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:59 pm
This is really sad. It shouldn't be that difficult to trace JC. The last I heard of him he was working for himself selling bouncy castles for kid's parties and stuff in Brighton. But that was a few years ago.
By the way, Mathematical is wrong on the club both JC and Tunji Banjo played for - it was Leyton Orient. JC then moved from Orient to Notts County and then Spurs before the injury put paid to his career.
By the way, Mathematical is wrong on the club both JC and Tunji Banjo played for - it was Leyton Orient. JC then moved from Orient to Notts County and then Spurs before the injury put paid to his career.
-
theYemster
- Eaglet
- Posts: 35648
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:25 am
- Location: ßos✞on ✈️ Mo✞own ✈️ Lægos
- Contact:
We should never rush to judgement but I am in this case. No matter what, your mother is your mother. Even if you did not live with her or grow up under her guidance.
Sounds like this woman suffered a lot in life. Not having any contact with her own children. I dont know how the Chidozie children can live with themselves.
RIP.
Sounds like this woman suffered a lot in life. Not having any contact with her own children. I dont know how the Chidozie children can live with themselves.
RIP.
Wow. This makes me wonder how many other Nigerian (Biafran) refugees ended up lost in England and other parts of Europe or the world. The blame is widespread. What ever agency that adopted them, their adopted families and of course our own government.
It sounds like John was old enough to remember his mom when he left. This being the case, he and his brothers have clearly not made enough of an effort. The reasons we can only guess.
I remember John Chidozies spell for the Eagles. At the time he appeared somewhat more polished and technical than the rest of the team.
It sounds like John was old enough to remember his mom when he left. This being the case, he and his brothers have clearly not made enough of an effort. The reasons we can only guess.
I remember John Chidozies spell for the Eagles. At the time he appeared somewhat more polished and technical than the rest of the team.
-
original skeepolah
- Eaglet
- Posts: 24065
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 6:48 am
I hope idiots who want the rise of biafra can see the spread and longtime effect of what war can do....Its effects are long lasting and decimate generations of folks...Sad story...may her soul RIP......I hope the kids have read or here of this...Ghost wrote:Wow. This makes me wonder how many other Nigerian (Biafran) refugees ended up lost in England and other parts of Europe or the world. The blame is widespread. What ever agency that adopted them, their adopted families and of course our own government.
It sounds like John was old enough to remember his mom when he left. This being the case, he and his brothers have clearly not made enough of an effort. The reasons we can only guess.
I remember John Chidozies spell for the Eagles. At the time he appeared somewhat more polished and technical than the rest of the team.
:x 
The wars fought in the world are only a reflection of the wars fought within people....
-
Its a Goal
- Eaglet
- Posts: 45106
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 5:58 pm
- Location: Transition
Is there a chance that CE in UK can emback on the project of locating John and make him give his mum her final respect?
May her soul rest in peace.
May her soul rest in peace.
2 of the finest indigenous coaches Nigeria ever had lost in a space of 4 days. Dear Lord, is this a sign that you are taking away from us what we failed to appreciate? I pray for forgiveness of our sins. I pray for the humility to recognize our wrongs and the humbleness and wisdom to right our ways.
REST IN PEACE COACH STEPHEN KESHI!!! REST IN PEACE COACH AMODU SHAIBU!!!
REST IN PEACE COACH STEPHEN KESHI!!! REST IN PEACE COACH AMODU SHAIBU!!!
-
Hard Man
- Egg
- Posts: 2515
- Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:03 pm
- Location: At the top of the stairs.
- Contact:
O ma she o ... May her soul rest in peace.
Adding to cic old boy's post, John's career actually finished at Derby County.
Adding to cic old boy's post, John's career actually finished at Derby County.
I have seen the future, and it is dirty. Dirty Leeds.
I raised the alarm at work today. The midgets were furious.
I have some new agoraphobic anorexic neighbors; they must have skeletons in their closet.
I raised the alarm at work today. The midgets were furious.
I have some new agoraphobic anorexic neighbors; they must have skeletons in their closet.
-
General Trousers
- Eaglet
- Posts: 17074
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 11:59 pm
- Location: Katmandu, Nepal
If it is here in the states it wouldn't be all that difficult to find the dude unless he is into some dubious business that mandates him to be extremely reclusive.
But guys in UK should act quick on this one please
But guys in UK should act quick on this one please
“A fanatic is one who entrenches himself in invincible ignorance.”
― OSWALD CHAMBERS, Baffled to Fight Better
― OSWALD CHAMBERS, Baffled to Fight Better
-
General Trousers
- Eaglet
- Posts: 17074
- Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2003 11:59 pm
- Location: Katmandu, Nepal
Amenities Meeting 29 March 2004 47
NEW MILTON TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the Amenities Committee of the New Milton Town Council held on Monday 29 March 2004 at 7.30pm in the Town Hall, 2 Ashley Road, New Milton.
Chairman
p Cllr J A G Hutchins
Vice Chairman p Cllr G C Beck
Councillors:
p S P Davies p A W Rice TD
p Mrs M A Lloyds Mrs S I Snowden
J R Mason p J S Wright
p T H Merifield
Apologies: Cllr J R Mason, Mrs S I Snowden
In Attendance: Mr G Flexman – Town Clerk
Mrs L Allcock – Council Secretary
PART 1 - PUBLIC SESSION
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
113. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD
Mr Field, a local resident, asked if the Committee would consider the development of an all-purpose Sports Hall at the Fernhill Lane Sports Ground which could be used for indoor football, cricket, tennis and badminton, plus any other interested sporting clubs. At present facilities at Ashley School are being used but there is a problem during the winter months. At present 50 youngsters take part in a soccer school run by John Chidozie, an ex-professional footballer, more would like to attend this school but there is no space.
He had also obtained information from a company called Baseline which erects mobile ice-skating and roller-skating rinks as well as trampolines and other sporting equipment which could also be used as extra facilities in the hall. He felt that just a basic shell would be required, no showers being needed, and that for minimal cost the new hall would soon pay for itself through entrance/booking fees.
Mr Field had made enquiries with the Recreation Centre run by NFDC in New Milton to use their facilities. This had resulted in the response that the Centre could not accommodate them for at least 10 years due to the number of bookings currently
handled.
Amenities Meeting 29 March 2004
48
The Chairman expressed surprise at the length of time the Recreation Centre had stated until their facilities would be available. He also reminded Mr Field that it had been the Council’s intention to build such a hall at the Fernhill Sports Ground but due to the failure of a Lottery Bid put in for the whole complex, just the first stage had been completed so far.
The Chairman thanked Mr Field for his comments.
114. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
NEW MILTON TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the Amenities Committee of the New Milton Town Council held on Monday 29 March 2004 at 7.30pm in the Town Hall, 2 Ashley Road, New Milton.
Chairman
p Cllr J A G Hutchins
Vice Chairman p Cllr G C Beck
Councillors:
p S P Davies p A W Rice TD
p Mrs M A Lloyds Mrs S I Snowden
J R Mason p J S Wright
p T H Merifield
Apologies: Cllr J R Mason, Mrs S I Snowden
In Attendance: Mr G Flexman – Town Clerk
Mrs L Allcock – Council Secretary
PART 1 - PUBLIC SESSION
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
113. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD
Mr Field, a local resident, asked if the Committee would consider the development of an all-purpose Sports Hall at the Fernhill Lane Sports Ground which could be used for indoor football, cricket, tennis and badminton, plus any other interested sporting clubs. At present facilities at Ashley School are being used but there is a problem during the winter months. At present 50 youngsters take part in a soccer school run by John Chidozie, an ex-professional footballer, more would like to attend this school but there is no space.
He had also obtained information from a company called Baseline which erects mobile ice-skating and roller-skating rinks as well as trampolines and other sporting equipment which could also be used as extra facilities in the hall. He felt that just a basic shell would be required, no showers being needed, and that for minimal cost the new hall would soon pay for itself through entrance/booking fees.
Mr Field had made enquiries with the Recreation Centre run by NFDC in New Milton to use their facilities. This had resulted in the response that the Centre could not accommodate them for at least 10 years due to the number of bookings currently
handled.
Amenities Meeting 29 March 2004
48
The Chairman expressed surprise at the length of time the Recreation Centre had stated until their facilities would be available. He also reminded Mr Field that it had been the Council’s intention to build such a hall at the Fernhill Sports Ground but due to the failure of a Lottery Bid put in for the whole complex, just the first stage had been completed so far.
The Chairman thanked Mr Field for his comments.
114. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.