Austin “Jay Jay” Azuka Okocha is the most gifted Nigerian footballer of his generation. His wizardry of the round leather game attested to this fact.
Revered for his skillful display and spraying of passes in the midfield departments of the game marks out “Jay Jay” as one of Africa’s greatest footballers, wining on tow occasions the BBC African Footballer of the year award.
The BBC African footballer of the year award has been running since 1992 and has as it’s previous winners, Abedi Pele and Samuel Kuffour of Ghana, Patrick Mboma of Cameroon, Senegal’s El-Hadji Diouf, Nigerian Emmanuel Amuneke, the entire Zambian side of 1993 and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast.
“Jay Jay” though was born in Enugu State on August 14, 1973, he actually hails from Ogwashi-uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State for which reason the State Government organized a (retirement) testimonial match for the midfield maestro at the Warri Stadium, Delta State.
Okocha, who during his playing days weighed 70 to 75 kg, and is between 1.7m and 1.75 tall, is the second cousin of Nigeria’s current Minister of Finance, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. His father, Mr. Alex Okocha, a Railway worker was on transfer to Enugu, where the master dribbler and entertainer was born.
Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku, whose late mother, Madam Dora Mgbodi also bore the name “Okocha”, according to “the Guardian” newspaper of Sunday, August 3, 2008.
Okocha started playing football on the streets of Enugu as a little kid. He moved a step further when he played for the famous Nike Grammar School, Enugu, before embarking on professional football career with CCB Lions, from where he transferred to Enugu Ranges International Football Club in 1990.
He then moved from Rangers to Germany where he signed for German BundisLiga Side Entracht Frankfurt for the 1992/93 season.
“Jay Jay” made his international debut for Nigeria in May 1993 against Cote d’Ivoire in a world cup qualifier in Abidjan. He scored Nigeria’s only goal in that game which Nigeria lost 1-2.
To be continued next week …….
