While the world is still mourning the death of Muhammad Ali, the cold hands of death has also taken one of the biggest footballer to come out of Nigeria- the charismatic and enigmatic Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, the former captain and coach of the Super Eagles. He was 54.
Emmanuel Ado a brother to the late coach told journalists the 54-year-old died of Cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, June 8.
“With thanksgiving to God, the Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, announces the death of Mr. Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi,” Mr. Ado said in a statement.
He continued “Our son, brother, father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years (Nkem ), Mrs. Kate Keshi, who passed on on the 9th December 2015.
“Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning. He came back to Nigeria to be with her. He had planned to fly back today Wednesday, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest.” Though deeply mourning the shock exit, Mr. Ado said the family remained grateful to God for the life spent by the Big Boss.
Keshi is the only Nigeria and second in African with Mahmoud El-Gohary of Egypt to win the African Cup of Nations as a player and a coach.
Keshi led the exodus of Nigerian players abroad when he left New Nigerian Bank for Stade d’Abidjan in 1985. Two years after, Keshi moved over to Lokeren in Belgium, a country where he also played for Anderlecht.
He rose to national prominence when debuted for the Super Eagles in 1981 at age 20. He was in the national team till 1994. He had 64 caps and scored nine goals.
As a coach, he qualified Togo to the World Cup but was sacked before the mundial but he accomplished his World Cup dream with Nigeria in Brazil in 2014 as well as winning the Nations Cup in South Africa in 2013. He also coached Mali.
He is the fifth member of the glorious 1994 Super Eagles team to die, after Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.
