Abdul Sule, Ishaya Jatau,Kogi United Mourn Keshi

The management of Kogi United has joined the rest of the football fraternities around the world to pay tribute to late Stephen Keshi who died in the early hours of Wednesday.

In a statement signed by the club’s Team Manager, Ameh Henry, it said Keshi’s death was a great loss and untimely as Nigeria football need an experienced and great leader this time around.

It described the former Super Eagles captain and coach as a passionate football personality who always wished for the growth and development of Nigeria football.

The statement however prayed God to grant him eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear his untimely demise.

Chairman of Kogi United and Keshi’s playing mate in the National team, Abdul Sule said the  soccer tactician was a leader and special personality in football circle adding that he would be greatly missed.

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve lost a great person in Stephen Keshi, we’ve lost a hero, his death is unfortunate but there’s nothing we can do that’s what God want , I pray God to forgive his sins and the family he left behind, may Allah be with them,” the former Super Eagles utility player said.

Sule added that saying “Stephen Keshi had been a very good person both inside and outside the pitch, I’ve played with him (in the national team) and I know he’s a leader who does his job very well, he was such a special person in his own way, he’s a great guy and I think we’ve lost an important person.

“Keshi was a guy that will just come to the pitch, does his thing, come to the pitch, crack a joke to raise the guys spirit, then it’s over, he’s a man of his own policy and I think I like him for that,” Sule said.

Ishaya Jatau, Head Coach of the Confluence state club who was also a playing mate with Keshi in the Eagles said the death of former ACB player came to him as a shock adding that Keshi was his mentor both a player and coach.

“I’m still in shock to hear about Keshi’s death, I’ve lost a friend, a brother, because when I was playing, he was my mentor, he always put me through.

“And when I was coaching again, he always encouraged me, put me through and I think I’ve lot a father figure in football, said the former Heartland FC striker.

“One moment I will always remember about Keshi was when I was first invited to the Super Eagles, together with Amokachi and other young and home- based players.

“We never traveled outside the country before, so we went with the team to Amsterdam, Holland, Keshi came in from Belgium to join us and he told we home-based players that we were very good, but it will take us four to five years to mature and break into the national team.

“We thought he didn’t like us, but he would always encouraging us and what he said later came to pass because most of us then later went to Europe and then play for National team around 1993-94.

“I believe Nigerians will now believe we’ve lost a great personality and leader in football, I pray God grant him eternal rest and be with his family bear his exit.”

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, 54, was Nigerian defender. He was was also football manager of Nigeria, Togo and Mali national teams.

Keshi was one of only two people, along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the African Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach.

Wale Mustapha