Google Doodle celebrates the late football icon, Okwaraji

Google Doodle, on Sunday celebrated the posthumous birthday of Samuel Okwaraji.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepages, intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures.

“Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji was a professional footballer. He was also a qualified lawyer who had a masters in international law from the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome. Samuel, a midfielder was born on May 19, 1964, to Janet Okwaraji and David Okwaraji.

“He collapsed and died of congestive heart failure in the 77th minute of a World Cup qualification match against Angola at the Lagos National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on August 12, 1989.

“The autopsy showed that the 25-year-old had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure. The sudden death was similar to that of Marc-Vivien Foé less than 14 years later,” Google said.

During his football years, Okwaraji enjoyed successes as he had a stint with European football clubs; AS Roma, Austria Klagenfurt, NK Dinamo Zagreb, VfB Stuttgart.

He was made a member of the Green Eagles 1988 squad and scored the fastest goals in the history of African Nations Cup.