By Silvernews
The family of the late Dan Anyiam, Nigeria’s first captain of the national football team, has expressed immense pride in the naming of the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, Imo State, after their patriarch. Hon. Engr. Don Anyiam, the first son of the football legend, emphasized the significance of his father’s contributions to Nigerian football and the pride they feel in his enduring legacy.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Hon. Anyiam highlighted the need for a statue that truly represents his father to be placed at the stadium. “At the moment, the statue here does not quite reflect Dan Anyiam. While we are grateful for the recognition and for having a statue to mark this as a football stadium, it is important that it bears the likeness of Dan Anyiam himself,” he said.
The timing, Hon. Anyiam noted, is ideal given the revival of Heartland FC, the club that calls Dan Anyiam Stadium home. Under the leadership of renowned coach Emmanuel Amuneke, Heartland FC is undergoing a transformation aimed at restoring its position as a football powerhouse.
“We are inspired by what Coach Amuneke is doing. His efforts in recreating the desired style of football within Heartland FC align with our hope to see the legacy of Dan Anyiam preserved and celebrated. We are working with the club and the state government to make this happen,” he stated.
Hon. Anyiam also expressed gratitude to Amuneke for initiating the Dan Anyiam Cup, a season curtain-raiser that celebrates the football icon’s legacy. “I was thrilled to hear about the Dan Anyiam Cup. As a family, we were happy to support the initiative and will continue to do so. It is a fitting way to honor my father’s memory and contributions to Nigerian football,” he said.
He revealed that the traditional ruler of Nkwerre, the birthplace of Dan Anyiam, has also endorsed the initiative. The royal support bolsters plans to make the Dan Anyiam Cup an annual event, with aspirations of expanding it to include other football clubs in the future.
Dan Anyiam, a native of Umunaga in Nkwerre, is celebrated for his achievements on the football field and his role in laying the foundation for Nigeria’s football legacy. For his family and admirers, ensuring his proper representation at the stadium that bears his name is a significant step toward immortalizing his contributions.
