New Telegraph

Kanu: Ebonyi football fans celebrate ‘Papillo’ at 44

Football fans in Ebonyi on Saturday celebrated the birthday of former Super Eagles Skipper Kanu Nwankwo who turned 44.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kanu, fondly called Papillo by football fans, had 86 caps for Nigeria, scoring 13 goals in a flourished career which lasted from 1994 to 2010.

 

Kanu, who is a recipient of the Member of Order of the Nigeria (OON) award, is a FIFA U-17 world cup winner, an Olympic Games gold medallist and has been engaged in philanthropy since retiring from active football. Emeka Ikegwu, an Aide to Ebonyi Commissioner for Youths and Sports, said that Kanu brought smiles to millions of Nigerian football fans with his sublime skills and trademark passes.

 

“Kanu won two African Footballer of the Year awards, an AFCON silver medal, four AFCON bronze medals among other illustrious honours.

 

“The former Iwuanyawu Nationale of Owerri player was also the first Nigerian alongside Finidi George to win the UEFA champions league trophy with Ajax Amsterdam of Holland in 1995,” he said.

 

Allen Onyebuchi, Defunct NITEL Vasco Dagama of Enugu player, and an Arsenal FC of England fan said that the club’s fans were proud of Kanu’s achievements during his time at the EPL club.

 

Chief Abraham Okoh, a Financial Expert urged active footballers to emulate Kanu in investing properly for life after retirement, noting that Papillo invested wisely.

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