Onyekachi Apam: A talent cut before his prime

Onyekachi Apam in action for OGC Nice in a Ligue 1 match against Saint Etienne in the 2009/2010 season.

Enugu State is a place often synonymous with Coal hence its slogan “The Coal City State” but it is anything but just a coal entity as it’s a state that has constantly churned out talents on the football pitch and is home to perhaps the most famous club in the East and in Nigeria – Enugu Rangers.

It’s rare to hear a true 042 or top player from the Eastern region who went on to achieve a legendary or decent career in Nigeria who didn’t at one time begin their apprenticeship or play at the club. Legends like the Iconic Chairman Christian Chukwu, Nigeria’s first AFCON winning captain; Christian Madu, Emmanuel Okala, to rampaging forwards Dominic ‘Alhaji’ Nwobodo, Ogidi Ibeabuchi, Emeka Onyedika, to modern greats John Utaka, Obinna Nwobodo, Chisom Egbuchulam have all at one time played for the Flying Antelopes before achieving great things in their careers.

Rangers are a culturally driven institution and proudly promote the values of the Igbo race and the best of talents from the East. And in this matrix, one of the brightest young talents in the East in the mid-2000s would begin his journey to professional football at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium and will do it masterfully.

The name Onyekachi Apam often evokes adjectives like “Rock,” “Intelligent,”, “Top draw” when describing the defender by fans, coaches as well as teammates, but one cannot help but look at the career of the Aba-born barrel-chested lynchpin without associating the popular lamentation of “what could have been” on close examination.

Onyekachi Apam in action for OGC Nice against PSG in 2008.

Having started his career at Pepsi academy like some Super Eagle players of