An haifeshi ne a 5 ga watan Satumba, 1961. Ya kasance dan wasan kwallon kafa ne Wanda ya bugawa Nageria sannan yayi ritaya daga baya. Okpala ya buga wa kungiyar kwallon kafa ta Enugu Rangers kwallon kafa,  CS Marítimo da CD Nacional a gasar Laliga ta Portugal. Okpala ya buga wa kungiyar kwallon kafa ta Najeriya wasa a wasannin bazara na 1980 da 1988. Ya kuma taka leda a kungiyar da ta dauki Kofin Kasashen Afirka a 1980. A ranar 8 ga Nuwamba 2011, Sylvanus ya zama mataimakin manajan kungiyar ta kasa. http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/sports/2007/dec/15/sports-15-12-2007-001.htm https://www.foradejogo.net/player.php?player=196109050001