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Late former Flying Eagles defender, Mike Onyemachara, who died May 5, will be laid to rest July 7 in his home town, Umuanunu, Obinze, Imo State, the family has announced.
In a statement, the family solicited support from Onyemachara’s former employers, clubs and football lovers to give the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale captain a befitting burial.
The statement, signed by Onyemachara’s older brother, Johnson, read, “As arrangements for the burial are being made, family members are also grappling with the challenge of completing a four-bedroom bungalow project the deceased started a couple of years ago, but was unable to complete it.
“We need money to ensure the completion of the house before the burial, which has already been fixed for July 7, 2023.
“The family is, therefore, soliciting financial support from well-meaning individuals and organisations to enable it complete the house and carry out the burial.”
The family also wrote to the proprietor of Onyemachara’s last club Iwuanyanwu Nationale, now Heartland, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, informing the Ohanaeze Ndigbo president of the demise of the ex-defender and intimating him of the arrangements for his burial.
Onyemachara started his football career with Golden Guinea Breweries, Umuahia before moving to First Bank of Lagos, where he rose to become club captain. He left First Bank for ACB, also of Lagos, which he captained, before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale, another club that made him skipper.
He was a member of the Flying Eagles’ squad at the Saudi ’89 U-20 World Cup famous for the ‘Miracle of Dammam’ after coming back from 4-0 down to beat the USSR on penalties in the quarter-finals.