The Nigerian football fraternity and the world was, in the early hours of yesterday, Wednesday, June 8, 2016, thrown into mourning when the family of former Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi, 54, announced his death.
Keshi, who, until his death, was still touted to be in the frame for the coaching role with South African Premier Soccer League side, Orlando Pirates, was said to have died on his way to the hospital in Benin City, Edo, after complaining of pains in his left chest and leg.
LEADERSHIP Sports celebrates one of two men to have won the African Cup of Nations as a player and coach; a man who had nothing to prove, after achieving as much as he had. We celebrate the link to Nigeria’s storied past and the present generation of Nigerian footballer who have found in Europe a thriving pasture.
Early Life
Late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was born on January 23, 1962, in Azare, Bauchi State, to the family of Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The starry-eyed child took such a deep interest in football that, by the time he turned 17 in 1979, he was a fearsome defender who took his territory seriously.
Playing Career
A t that point, he was snapped up by ACB Lagos same year, to kick-start a career which would go on to span 19 years.
He moved to New Nigeria Bank, where he played from 1980 to 1984, Stade d’Abidjan (1985) and Africa Sports (1986).
Having proved himself on the continent, he caught the eye of scouts of Belgian club Lokeren, where he played from 1986 to 1987. He went on to Anderlecht (1987-1991), RC Strasbourg in France (1991-1993), RWDM (1993-94), CCV Hydra (1995), Sacramento Scorpions (1996) and Perlis FA (1997-98). Keshi played 64 times for Nigerian and scored nine goals for the national team between 1981 and 1995, when he called it quits.
He first filed out for the Super Eagles in 1981, at the age of 20. He captained the Super Eagles’ to victory at the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 1994 – he went on to star in four more AFCON tournaments – and at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA.
Keshi’s move to Cote d’Ivoire, Belgium and, later, to the American Major League Soccer (MLS) – where he learnt the rudiments of coaching – was like a ground-breaker for many youngsters and his teammates back at home.
Coaching
In 2001, the tactician was a part of the coaching crew of the Flying Eagles at the 2001 African Youth Championship which also served as qualification for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, without success.
A good talker and motivator, he was said to have inspired his teams by action and words alike.
He joined the coaching crew of Amodu Shuaibu during one of his (Amodu’s) stints as the tinkerman for the Super Eagles.
His first huge step in coaching was with Togo in in 2004. Before Keshi’s coming, Togo had only been to five editions of the AFCON. When the tactician took over, Togo achieved something more; he helped the tiny West African country qualify for the 2006 World Cup. “A miracle” was the best term every soccer-lover in that country could term the feat.
Unfortunately, he was promptly replaced by German coach Otto Pfister a few months to the tournament and, predictably, Togo could only post a dismal showing, failing to advance beyond the group stage.
At the 2006 AFCON in Egypt, Pfister could not, again, lead them dismal performance and failed to advance to the knock-out stage in 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt. However, Pfister did not last beyond a controversial World Cup campaign that nearly resulted in a player’s strike over pay and Togo remained without a manager, until February 2007 when they re-engaged Keshi in time for a friendly against Cameroon.
But it did not last.
At the dawn of 2008, he was being courted by the Malians and, by April of the same year, he had been hired to coach their senior national male team. However, he was sacked in January 2010, after failing to guide Mali beyond the group stages of the AFCON.
A year later, Keshi was hired to guide Nigeria national senior male team, the Super Eagles to greater glory.
Keshi’s coming had its ups and downs, but he made everyone understand that he believed in domestic league players and would not hesitate in dropping anyone who gave him a hard time, especially foreign-based players. He stuck to his guns and gave the local players every opportunity to excel.
Thanks to his hard-line stance, Nigeria went on to win the 2013 edition of the AFCON –the first since 1994. But his celebration did not last long, for he had made enemies among the NFF’s big wigs and they wanted him out of the picture, in spite of his feat.
NFF officials approached Herve Renard, who was handling the Zambian national team, but Renard turned it down and, resultantly, Keshi resigned after learning of the slight.
He led Nigeria to qualify for Brazil 2014 and guided the team to the round of 16, where it lost to France.
His wrangles with the NFF went on, until he called it quits last year, finally.
Bereavement
On December 9, 2015, a few years after his resignation, the father-of-four lost his wife of 33 years, Nkem Kate Keshi, to cancer.
This, it was believed, was a huge blow to the tactician’s health.
How He Died
Since his wife’s death, Keshi had made it a ritual to come home regularly, to be close to her. On this occasion, the former coach only complained of a leg ailment while holidaying at his Airport Road home in Benin, Edo, before he passed away on the way to the hospital at 3a.m.
According to the chairman of the Edo State Football Association, Frank Ilaboya, Keshi’s remains have long been deposited at a private mortuary, Faith Mediplex, located at Airport Road, Benin, Edo.
According to a statement released by brother and aide to the deceased, Emmanuel Ado, Keshi, who had been affected by the death of his wife, would now find rest, as he has gone to be with her.
“Stephen Keshi, CON, has gone to be with his wife,” read the statement.
“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.
“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 December 9,2015.
“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.”
Only Autopsy Can Tell – Family
However, a family representative, Rickey Aburime, has counter-stated that the late coach did not die of cardiac arrest and, that, only an autopsy can determine the cause of death.
According to Aburime, who spoke in Benin, it took less than 15 minutes to rush Keshi to Faith Mediplex hospital in Benin but he gave up the ghost upon arrival at the hospital.
“All of a sudden, they noticed his countenance changed and he was not okay. The person with him called Ebuka and they rushed him to the hospital. He was dead by the time they got to the hospital. A nurse that checked him said there was no pulse. Doctors later confirmed him dead.
“After the confirmation, as he was not a patient of the hospital, they could not write any report or present any death certificate.
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