Former
Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi is dead
– Stephen Keshi, a former coach of
the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, is dead – The sudden
demise of the football legend was confirmed by his relatives and the Nigeria
Football Federation
– According to Keshi’s family
member, Ricky Aburimen, the Super Eagle’s former coach complained of a leg
ailment
– He was rushed to Faith Hospital in
the Benin Government Reservation Area, where he died at about 3am
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, a former
coach of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, is dead. The
Cable reports that the football legend died in the early hours of Wednesday,
June 8, in Benin City, Edo state. The sudden demise of the former international
was confirmed by his relatives and close associates. “He was not ill at all,
never showed any signs of illness, but we suspect he never got over the death
of his wife,” one of his close friends said. The Nigeria Football Federation
also confirmed the tragic news on its official Twitter handle.
According to Keshi’s family member,
Ricky Aburimen, the Super Eagle’s former coach complained of a leg ailment
while holidaying at his Aiprport road home in Benin. He said that Keshi was
rushed to Faith Hospital in the Benin Government Reservation Area, where he
died at about 3am. Premium Times reports that his remains were moved to a
privately-owned mortuary Faith Mediplex located on the Benin Airport road in
the Edo state capital. Frank Ilaboya, the chairman of the Edo State Football
Association, quoted Keshi’s faimily member, Ricky Aburimen, as saying the
Eagle’s former coach as having only complained of a leg ailment while
holidaying at his Aiprport road home in Benin before he passed away. Last year,
Keshi lost his wife of 33 years, Nkem Kate, after a prolonged battle with
cancer. He is survived by four children and his mother.
The family has already released an
official statement announcing his death. The statement signed by Emmanuel Ado
was titled: “Stephen Keshi CON has gone to be with his wife”. “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,” Ado wrote. “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. “We thank God for his
life. We want to ask for understanding in this very difficult time for the
family.”
Keshi, who was a famous and notable
figure in the football industry, was popularly called the Big Boss. He is the
only Nigerian coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations. He also became the
second person in history to win the competition as a player and as a coach,
when he led the Super Eagles to win the tournament in 2013 in Johannesburg,
South Africa.
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