The family of Stephen Keshi has released a
statement announcing his death.
The statement signed by Emmanuel Ado for the family 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.”
Nigerian football icon Stephen Okechukwu
Chinedu Keshi died suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City, Edo
state. He was scheduled to return to the United States on Wednesday evening
before he suffered cardiac arrest.
The former international football player
and coach had lost his wife of 35 years, Kate, last year after a prolonged
battle with cancer. He is survived by four children and his mother.
Keshi, is the only Nigerian coach to have
won the Africa Cup of Nations, achieved a rare feat in 2013 by becoming only
the second person to win the trophy both as a player and a coach.
The only other person to have achieved the
feat is Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary.
Keshi, a product of St. Finbarr’s College,
Akoka, Lagos, he started his playing career at a very young age at ACB Football
Club, and later played for New Nigeria Bank, Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports,
Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg, and a host of other clubs.
He represented Nigeria from 1982, at age
20, till 1994, most of the time captaining the Super Eagles and scoring vital
goals from his position as a central defender.
He also coached Togo and Nigeria at the
World Cup, as well as Mali.
Keshi was nicknamed the “Big Boss” for his leadership
skills, he is the fifth member of the all-conquering 1994 team to have died, following
Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.
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