Skip to main content

Stephen Keshi’s funeral rites begin today

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi

The final journey home for late Super Eagles chief coach and renowned football tactician, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, will begin today, in Benin City, Edo State, with series of activities lined up to herald his interment in Illah, Oshimili North local government area of Delta State, tomorrow.

The former international and Africa Cup of Nations winning player and coach, suddenly died from cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday, June 8 in Benin City.

In a statement, the family of the late footballer announced that a church service will hold at St Paul Catholic Church, Benin City by 9am on Thursday, July 28.

His remains will be moved to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where a novelty match organized by his former teammates led by former Super Eagles captain and coach Austin Eguavoen will be staged in his honour.

Afterwards, his corpse will depart for Asaba, the Delta State capital, where former Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan will receive him at the stadium named after him on Nnebisi Road.

Thereafter, his body will leave for Illah, his country home, where the Obi of Illah, His Royal Highness Obi Gbemudu with his high chiefs will receive him.

Moments later, a requiem mass will hold at St John Catholic Church before his remains will be moved to his residence for an hour-long lying-in-state, followed by an internment at the same venue.

Keshi captained Nigeria to win their second Afcon in 1994.

The NFF delegation to the final rites will be led by the President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, and will include, among others, Mr. Frank Ilaboya (Chairman of the Edo State Football Association), Mr. Neville Bekederemo (Chairman of NPFL side Warri Wolves FC) and Mr. Edema Fuludu (Chairman of Delta State League Management Company).

Keshi, one of only two men to have won the Africa Cup of Nations as player and as coach, died in Benin City at the age of 54.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do