{{Short description|Nigerian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Godwin Okpara | image = | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1972|9|20}} | birth_place = Ogbaku, Nigeria | height = 1.76 m | position = Defender | currentclub = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1989 | clubs1 = Obanta United | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1989–1991 | clubs2 = Beerschot | caps2 = 21 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1991–1996 | clubs3 = Eendracht Aalst | caps3 = 94 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 1996–1999 | clubs4 = Strasbourg | caps4 = 96 | goals4 = 6 | years5 = 1999–2001 | clubs5 = Paris Saint-Germain | caps5 = 19 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2001–2004 | clubs6 = Standard Liège | caps6 = 67 | goals6 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2000 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria Olympic (O.P.) | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 1991–2001 | nationalteam2 = Nigeria | nationalcaps2 = 18 | nationalgoals2 = 0 }}
'''Godwin Okpara''' (born 20 September 1972) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was part of the Nigeria national team squads that participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, 2000 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2000 Summer Olympics.
==Career== Okpara was outstanding<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-08-21 |title=Pele's boy, Okpara reminisces career success, setbacks |url=https://guardian.ng/sport/peles-boy-okpara-reminisces-career-success-setbacks/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-03-05 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US}}</ref> at the 1989 U-17 World Championship, in Scotland. His impressive skills caught the attention of Pelé, who hailed him as a future world-class player, praising his football skill. The Imo State-born defender, after playing for AGIP FC of Lagos and Obanta United began his foreign professional stint in Belgium in 1989 with Beerschot.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Godwin Okpara biography, net worth, age, family, contact & picture |url=https://www.manpower.com.ng/people/15711/godwin-okpara |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=www.manpower.com.ng}}</ref> After some years of relative success playing for Eendracht Aalst, including winning the Belgian Ebony Shoe, he moved to play in France for RC Strasbourg and Paris Saint-Germain. While at Strasbourg he won the Coupe de la Ligue in 1997, playing in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ligue1.com/coupeLigue/feuille_match/73346 |title=RC Strasbourg Alsace - Girondins de Bordeaux |publisher=ligue1.com |access-date=8 January 2020}}</ref> His second season with PSG was miserable,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria: Okpara - Fall of a Super Eagles Star |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200706040064.html}}</ref> making him return to Belgium and Standard Liège. Okpara retired after the 2003–04 season.
==Prison== In August 2005, Okpara was arrested by French police on charges of raping his 13-year-old adopted daughter, Awawu Tina.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4181316.stm|title=Nigeria's Okpara in French jail|access-date=23 February 2008|date=24 August 2005|publisher=BBC}}</ref> He was found guilty and imprisoned in June 2007 for thirteen years, but his sentence was reduced to seven years due a successful appeal. His wife, Linda Okpara, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for torture of the same girl.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/news/2007/June/1/former-nigerian-football-player-sentenced-to-13-years-for-rape|title=Former Nigerian football player sentenced to 13 years for rape|access-date=23 February 2008|date=1 June 2007|publisher=Soccerway}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7260750.stm|title=Okpara sentenced to jail for rape |access-date=23 February 2008|date=23 February 2008|publisher=BBC}}</ref> In November 2017, he was arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrate Court for allegedly battering his wife of 25 years.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{NFT player|10443}} * [http://www.nigerianplayers.com/player.asp?pID=155 Nigerian Players]
{{Nigeria squad 1998 FIFA World Cup}} {{Nigeria men's football squad 2000 Summer Olympics}} {{Nigeria squad 2000 African Cup of Nations}} {{Ebony Shoe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okpara, Godwin}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:Nigeria men's youth international footballers Category:Belgian Pro League players Category:Challenger Pro League players Category:Olympic footballers for Nigeria Category:Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players Category:K Beerschot VAC players Category:SC Eendracht Aalst players Category:Standard Liège players Category:RC Strasbourg Alsace players Category:Paris Saint-Germain FC players Category:Ligue 1 players Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in France Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:Nigerian rapists Category:Nigerian people imprisoned abroad Category:Foreign nationals imprisoned in France Category:Sportspeople convicted of crimes Category:Sportspeople convicted of sex crimes