TRIBUTE TO NIGERIAN FOOTBALL HERO, STEPHEN KESHI 1962-2016

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The footballing world woke up yesterday to a grave news of the death of former Super Eagles Captain and former Head Coach of the team, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi in Benin City, Edo state.

Stephen Keshi, who lost his wife of 33 years Kate, to cancer on the 9th of December 2015, only just buried her early this year.

Report has it that the family of the Nigerian football hero, are presently investigating his cause of death.

Several footballers and clubs, including Alex Iwobi and Arsenal FC of England had since paid tribute to the football hero.

Stephen Keshi, is the only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Nations cup, in 2013 and the second person to win the trophy both as a player and coach.

The only other person to have achieved the feat is Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary.

A statement made available, by the world’s football governing body (FIFA) reads thus –

“RIP Stephen Keshi, Keshi was a superhero. These words from NFF President, Amaju Pinnick sum up the impact of a true titan of African football.
Keshi won the AFCON, as a player and coach, he helped his country to their first world cup as a player and was the African coach to lead a side to the world cup round of 16.
He tragically passed away”.

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A message dropped on social media, by the Nigerian Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung, reads thus.

“I receive the shocking news of the death of former Super Eagles Captain and Head Coach, Stephen Keshi and I an deeply shocked over the sudden death of a man who only buried his wife Kate, early this year.
Keshi led Nigeria to win a second Africa cup of nations trophy as a captain and a third as a coach. He was a leader, an achieved and a success. He was only 54.
I pray that God will look after the 4 children, he left behind and console them. Nigeria has lost a patriot! RIP Stephen Keshi (MON)”.

Nigeria’s former deputy speaker, of the Federal House of representative, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha also wrote on Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

” The death of Stephen Keshi, former Super Eagles Captain and Coach has left me in rude shock. Keshi was a committed and dedicated Nigerian, who made us proud with his talent both as a captain and the Head Coach, of the national team.

However, we consoled that the relevant public who came across this wonderful man will bear testimony that he left footprints on the sand of time.

May the good lord, who it pleases to take him at this time, grant the family and all those he left behind the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss”.

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi’s favourite quote, is known to be, “people don’t have to believe in you, for you to succeed. Just work hard, when you succeed, they will definitely believe in you”.