RANGERS: THE TEAM THE IGBO SHALL NEVER FORGET

How Ohanaeze Ndigbo finally honoured the 1977 Rangers International squad, the team that lifted a broken people and restored pride to Igboland.

The Day Memory Became History

Tears, songs, and pride flowed freely at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Secretariat in Enugu as Nigeria’s foremost Igbo socio-cultural organisation honoured the legendary 1977 Rangers International Football Club, the team that lifted the soul of a defeated people and rekindled hope in post-war Igboland.

The event, attended by football icons, widows of late players, traditional rulers, scholars, and fans, marked the redemption of a 48-year-old unfulfilled federal pledge to Nigeria’s first continental champions — the winners of the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup.

Redemption at Last

Announcing the long-awaited gesture, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, declared that each of the 19 members of the 1977 squad — living or deceased — would receive ₦1 million as “a mark of honour and restitution.”

He described the ceremony as “a symbolic act of remembrance and identity renewal,” recalling that the federal government had promised each player ₦25,000 in 1977, a promise that was never fulfilled.

“Rangers International rose as a beacon of hope at the darkest moment of Igbo history,” Mbata said, his voice breaking slightly.

“Since Nigeria has failed to honour them, the Igbo nation will. Let it be heard across the world: the Igbo will never forget Rangers. Whether dead or alive, Ohanaeze will honour them. The labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain.”

Then came the words that drew thunderous applause:

“Rangers International Football Club of Nigeria, immediately after the civil war, when America and Britain collaborated and defeated the Igbo in the war — at that lowest ebb of Ndigbo after their defeat — Rangers FC rose up as a beacon of light, of strength, hope, and resurgence. Igbos can never forget Rangers. We say thank you, for all you did for Ndigbo.”

Heroes Remembered

Among those honoured were football greats Emmanuel Okala, Dominic Nwobodo, and the late Christian Chukwu, whose widow, Ngozi Chukwu, received his posthumous award amid tears and applause.

Okala, Nigeria’s iconic goalkeeper and one of the few surviving members of that golden squad, could barely hold back his emotions.

“Since 1977, some of our colleagues have died waiting for this,” he said softly. “It was ₦25,000 then, and now it has finally come true. I thank God I’m alive to witness this fulfilment. I’ll use mine for my medical care.”

For Ngozi Chukwu, the moment was bittersweet.

“My husband always said he played for the soul of the East,” she said, clutching her award plaque. “Seeing his name honoured today warms my heart. The Igbo have shown that we do not forget our own.”

Echoes from the People

Across Enugu, the ceremony rekindled a flood of memories.

Chief Emmanuel Uche, a retired civil servant who watched Rangers play at Onikan Stadium in 1977, said the team gave the Igbo their first reason to smile after the war.

“Rangers carried our hopes on their shoulders,” he recalled. “When they won, we all felt we had won. This gesture from Ohanaeze is long overdue but it came at the right time, while some of them are still alive to see it.”

At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr. Nneka Okonkwo, a lecturer in history, viewed the event through a cultural lens.

“This is not about sports; it’s about memory and dignity,” she said. “Ohanaeze’s gesture reminds every Igbo child that we honour those who lifted us when the world turned its back.”

Younger fans, too, felt the emotional pull of history. Chidozie Eze, a 34-year-old supporter, said he grew up hearing tales of the 1977 heroes.

“My father spoke about Okala, Chukwu, and Nwobodo like they were superheroes,” he smiled. “Today proves Rangers are not just a football club — they are a movement, a symbol of our resilience.”

A Nation That Remembers

Beyond the symbolic ₦1 million redemption, the ceremony resonated as a profound act of cultural remembrance, a testament that history still matters in a society often too quick to forget.

As the national anthem filled the hall and portraits of the 1977 champions were unveiled, a quiet sense of fulfilment enveloped the gathering. Rangers had once again united the Igbo not through goals or trophies, but through shared memory and gratitude.

To many, the moment mirrored the soul of a people resilient, proud, and ever conscious of those who paved the way for collective dignity.

“This is not just a redemption,” Mbata concluded. “It is a resurrection — of memory, pride, and the spirit that defines us as Ndigbo.”

Legacy Eternal

In 1977, Rangers conquered Africa.
In 2025, they conquered hearts once again.

Nearly half a century later, the name Rangers International still rings — not merely as a football club, but as a living metaphor for the Igbo spirit: unbroken, undimmed, and unforgettable.

“The Igbo shall never forget Rangers.”