Okey Isima Ex Green Eagles Defender Dies

Former Green Eagles of Nigeria and Rangers International FC of Enugu defender, Okey Isima is dead. The ex footballer who eventually became an engineer died in Abuja

yesterday Monday February 18th after a brief illness.

56 years old Isima was a member of the Green Eagles team that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos. He also played at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Okey Isima was based in Atlanta Georgia in the United States for many years before relocating to Nigeria a few years ago to help in bringing back the lost glory of Nigerian football.

His former team mates Christian Chukwu and Henry Nwosu have this to say…

"I'm still shocked by the news because Okey was such a gentleman who was intelligent. Suddenly the memories of 1980 and how we won the Nations Cup is beginning to play back. The memories of playing with him in the final of the 1980 final against Algeria is beginning to look like yesterday though it was more than 30 years now," Chukwu.

"Okey was a close friend. When I came into the national team around the late 1970s, early 1980s, he was always encouraging me as I was still in schoolboy then. He was very experienced at over 20 years in age at that time and was playing for a big club like Rangers.
His death is a big loss to his family, the nation and everyone close to him. He had big plans of his own to help develop the game in the country but unfortunately he's gone." Henry Nwosu

He is survived by his wife and four children. 

May his soul rest in peace amen…