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
Fall of Enugu a three-day delay by federal forces at Abor in order to reorganize. Sector commander Lt. Col. Theophilus Danjuma sent a wireless message to Nigerian President Yakubu Gowon that stated he had begun shelling Enugu from Ukena. The message was intercepted by Biafran units who began shelling Danjuma's position a few minutes later, narrowly escaping death. As Nigerian forces made their way closer towards the capital the Biafran 53rd Brigade under Gen. Alexander Madiebo were assigned to defend the Enugu. Against armored vehicles and MiGs, Biafran President Odumegwu Ojukwu ordered Eastern provinces to send all able-bodied men to defend Enugu. About