Football icon Stephen Keshi dies suddenly at 54
Nigerian football icon Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi died suddenly late Tuesday night in Benin City, Edo state, TheCable understands.
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.
TheCable confirmed his death from a member of his family as well as one of his 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,” a friend said.
He is survived by four children and his mother.
Keshi, 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, 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, nicknamed the “Big Boss” for his leadership skills, is the fifth member of the all-conquering 1994 team to die, following Uche Okafor, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare.
‘He has found rest’
Meanwhile, the family has released a 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.”
Your comment..So, so sad
The big boss, I will always remember u in ur No 4 shirt staring for Nigeria in crucial games. We shall keep fund memories of ur labours for Nigeria. Farewell nd rest in peace
May His soul rest in peace….He was an ICON in the game of football……..gudnite BOSS
Soo sad! May God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss
The big Boss is gone, and we are left with the history of his indelible mark. The world will miss you, Africa will miss you and Nigerians will miss you most. Farewell Stephen Okechukwu Keshi
Your comment..May God Almighty grant him eternal rest. Amen. RIP Keshi. Ambrose.
Rest in peace coach. May God bless your family
Premature exit.
Saddening indeed
May his soul rest in peace
May your soul rest in peace Mr. Keshi
What a way to leave the stage.
OMG! May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace
So sad! It is strange I imagined him just few days ago coaching another team to the World cup. But this ll never be!
May his soul rest in peace.
RIP the boss. We will never forget you.
Your comment.. I don’t believe this…how…where…when….why….I was hoping more productive work from him
RIP Legend
what a loss! ..Rip to the big boss, we love ????, we’ll miss u. may God give the family grace to bear it.
May the souls of the diseased rest in the bosom of our Lord Jesus christ,we will miss u, a rare gem
Rip ‘Big Boss’ may your soul rest in perfect peace.. He was a hero
Rest in peace
So sad, oh Big Boss, my your gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
Rest in peace Big Boss, may the Lord grant you eternal rest. The Nigerian nation will miss, you left a foot print to tow by the younger generation .
All these death here and there is an indication that everybody should prepare. Death is the prize everybody must pay, inevitable, it may come at anytime, to anybody.
To christian, death is the door to eternal life. Are you prepared?
Sad! May his soul rest in peace.
a very sad day for Nigerians, he was a great man.May he rest in peace.
Omg, may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace… Good bye one of the Super eagle players and coaches.
RIP BIG BOSS!!
Very Sad news. May God give his family the strength to bear the loss!!
Your comment..Big Boss is gone. His contributions to soccer in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large will forever linger in our hearts. We love you so much esp for your doggedness but God loves you best. RIP.
Government must immortalize him and take good care of the orphans he left behind.
may your soul rest in eternal peace.you will solely be missed Big Boss!!
May His soul rest in peace
Rest in perfect peace(Amen)!!!
Big boss
R.I.P Keshi may God be with your family
Stephen Keshi,from where I live,we watched how your passion for developing young players thrive,Thank you for contributing to Africa,our Bro, go ye forth be with your departed wife
Your comment..may his soul rest in peace
Rest in peace The Boss.
May his soul find rest in the blossom of the lord
Rest in Peace, May God grant ur soul Eternal Rest. Amen.
So sad to hear this…RIP Keshi.
Rest in peace, Boss. we miss u.
What a great loss to the family and to Nigeria. May God grant us all the fortitude to bear this loss. Great lesson for the living too
May the good lord grant him eternal rest
Sad news,our BIG BOSS is gone to rest,,may his soul rest in perfect peace amen
This is a great loss, I pray for family mostly the children the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
RIP
So sorry. RIP Keshi.
May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace Amen
Rest in Peace oh Keshi.
You are indelibly in our minds.
May his soul rest in peace….My deepest condolences to his family
Your comment..may his soul rest in peace
Adieu Steve
You came, you saw and you conquered
May His mercy abound in you
RIP Keshi
RIP the Boss
Whao… It was a shocking and devastating news to hear that Big Boss is dead what a loss it would be for a great nation of ours. You’re gone now but your work still speaks forever. GOD BLESS YOUR SOUL AS YOU DEPARTS THIS EARTH.
Big boss Keshi. May ur gentle soul and many other departed, rest in peace. Amen
Your comment..RIP big boss
oh keshi, I can’t imaging this. why like this, come back
This ugly news i received with a rude shock. What an irreparable lost of a rear gem “Big Boss” your sudden demise will indelibly remain a big scare in our bleeding hearts, farewell Coach Stephen Kashi. May your Gentle Soul Rest in Perfect Peace. I’ll miss you Coach
MY BIG BOSS, U ARE THE BEST AND MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE AMEN, GO BE WITH YOUR DEAR WIFE. RIP.
We will miss you so much but what can we do God knows the best. Rest in peace my Big Boss.
May his soul rest in peace.
Oh my God! Why now. Big Boss u have never completed your job, u haven’t coach my bros na. Please rest in peace so painful. We Nigerian love u but God loves u more.
OMG. We lost another legend in one week after the “The Greatest” Mohammed Ali. RIP Great Nigerian coach and ambassador. Adieu.
May the rest in peace Amen.
The Great Icon Of Our Own Time Has Gone To Be With The Lord, May Your Gentle Soul Rest In Perfect Peace Amen.
I can’t believe this , have thos news been varified because we can’t trust online news outlets these days !!..wow , I can’t believe this .The best Nigerian coach and the most productive captain ever !!..May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace !!
SAD; MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT ALL THOSE HE LEFT BEHIND IJN
I cannot withhold these tears, it really happened like a flash of light in the night, how a great son of the soil in deeds and origin passed on just like that. Yes “death” is a horse which everyone alive will ride upon some day, but he died a boy, “Unto man is one hundred and twenty years on the earth (Gen: 6:3)” (emphasis mine). He was one that believed in the total Nigerianity of this entity called Nigeria because he believed that Nigeria gave him so much and he very well paid back in his arts of severe patriotism.
What a way to love, love that transcends self, a day to “Her”(his wife’s) 6th month memorial, the pains of her demise could still not leave his heart. My brother Okey “the Big Boss”, you were such a blessed example to all Nigerians, you imparted positively on all that knows and heard about you. Football have been bereaved today the worldwide. We will all miss you greatly. Sleep on Okey. Your children is already with the grace to bear the earliest abandonment in the hands of the cruel death, of their mum and dad. It is soo well. Amen
RIP our Legend!!!
Your comment..what a glorious way to leave the stage. big boss you indeed left an indelible mark on the soil of nigeria football community. Good night.
What a sad news! Keshi u wonderful achievement in sports arena will always be remembered.
Your comment.. Sleep on great man till the glorious morning when we all shall meet to part no more…. Adiue
Rest in peace big boss.
Rest in peace big boss.u have been the best good bye
Gone 2 soon….died at 54….may his gently soul rest in peace…farewell big boss.
Rest in peace Big Boss!
What a sad news! We will miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
Big Boss, may your gentle soul rest in the bosom of the Lord
Your comment.. Hmmmmm so sad to had about your death Stephen, we love you but GOD love you most…. RIP KESHI till we part no mere
Why KESHI? It would have been better if it was the Fulani cattle (Buhari). The fool is going abroad for ear infection. If there are adequate medical facilities around the people’s coach may not have died. Hey guys the Fulani cattle don’t think about giving Nigeria adequate medical facilities but he can run abroad for ear infection.
We love you but, God love you more. May your soul rest in peace.
Though that the gift was your, but you shared it for the happiness and joy of many globally. May your gentle soul rest in peace.
rest in peace gallant sodier of football….i will forever remember you for resolutely manning the super eagles defence in the 1994 afcon final against my mother Zambia national soccer team chipolopolo