Super Eagles legend Kanu Nwankwo has been announced as the new chairman of Enyimba Football Club, News About Nigeria understands.
His appointment comes barely a month after the state government led by Governor Alex Otti dissolved the team’s former board led by Felix Anyansi-Agwu.
Anyansi-Agwu got axed despite peddling the club for 24 years, winning several titles including the CAF Champions League and Federation Cup competitions, with the most recent being the 2022/23 Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) Championship.
The news which was confirmed from Abia’s state house on Monday, now gives Nwankwo who formerly played for Iwuanyanwu Nationale the mandate to lead the People’s Elephant to victory in both the CAF Champions League and the 2023/24 season’s league and Federation Cup competitions.
The 46-year-old former Arsenal star will work closely with his Ajax Amsterdam former teammate, Finidi George, who is the club’s manager.
The pair were among Louis van Gaal’s team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995, the club’s last Champions League title to date.
Nwankwo who had a career that spanned over 20 years, came to the limelight in 1993 when he was the highest goal scorer at the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Japan.
Three years later in 1996, he led the Nigeria Golden medal team to the Olympics where he scored decisive goals, including the tie-deciding semifinal strike against Brazil.
Nwankwo has had one of the finest careers of any former Super Eagles player, spreading his skills across major clubs across Europe.
He was among the Arsenal 2006 ‘Invincibles,’ which went a whole season undefeated in the English Premier League during Arsene Wenger’s time as manager.
He also played for West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth in England, as well as a stint with Italian giants Inter Milan.
