Enugu a winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2007, was born in Enugu in 1977 and grew up in Nsukka. The Enugu Rangers, a first-division professional league association football team, is Enugu's home team that plays in the Nigerian Premier League and are based in the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. Former Rangers players include Jay-Jay Okocha and Taribo West. Enugu's main sports centre is the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, named after Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria. The stadium remained the centre of sports for the whole of the Eastern Region until the Nigerian Civil War broke out. At the
Heartland F.C. won the Federation Cup, its first silverware since its last league win in 1993. Heartland defeated highly fancied Enyimba 1-0 thanks to a late first half goal by their captain, Chinedu Efugh. 2012: Heartland retained its 2011 cup win by defeating Lobi Stars 2-1 in the finals held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos thereby winning it again in 2012. Ending 18th in the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League ensured the club went on relegation for the first time since its 40-year existence. On the final day of the season, Heartland abandoned their game against Plateau United in the