By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Former international goal tender Paul Obiako has been diagnosed with enlarged heart.

Obiako, who is already on admission, is appealing to good-spirited Nigerians to help him raise N5 million to enable him undergo surgery.

According to him, the ailment was first diagnosed in 2015 but was mildly treated and he had managed it until early this year when it became worse with increased weakness.

The ex-international is presently admitted at Heartland Cardiovascular Consultant Hospital on TY Danjuma Street, Asokoro Abuja.

He said the surgery is necessary to correct the enlarged heart and that he cannot afford the required a sum of N5 million, having retired from active service.

His words: “My people, I am a retired civil servant. I don’t have such money neither does my wife.

“I need your financial assistance so that I can come out of this sickness and live a normal life again. Please I need help.”

Obiako was a member of the CKC team that won the World Academic Championship (Dublin ’77) in Ireland in 1977.

He later played for the legendary Rangers International and the senior national team, the Super Eagles – then known as Green Eagles.

Obiako worked as Anambra Sate football coach for years before going into retirement.