THE former coach of the Super Eagles and an accomplished footballer, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, has passed on. He died on June 8 at the age of 54. Until his death, Keshi was a schoolboy soccer star, club legend, Super Eagles Skipper and coach of the National Football team. For his distinction and rare leadership qualities in football, he earned the sobriquet of the “Big Boss”. Undoubtedly, Keshi was a remarkable and interesting personality. He engaged our hearts and minds in many profound ways.
Born in 1962, Keshi cut his football teeth as a student of the famous Saint Finbarr’s College, Akoka Lagos, before joining the now defunct African Continental Bank (ACB) Football Club also in Lagos. He also played for the defunct New Nigeria Bank (NNB) Football Club of Benin City where he became Captain and won both local and international laurels.
It was while at NNB Football Club that he had his first of many spats with Nigerian Football officialdom. But for Keshi, it was another opportunity as he became the first player from the local league to play abroad, pitching his tent with Stade d’ Abidjan Club of Ivory Coast.
With that move, Keshi became the trailblazer for a number of his colleagues and many young footballers who he either mentored or drew inspiration from his courageous and fortuitous forays into the complex world of international football.
He achieved distinction donning the colours of Lokeren, Anderlecht, RC Strasbourg all in Belgium, and in the twilight of his playing career, the lesser known RWDM, CCV Hydra, Sacramento Scorpion and Pertis FA in America.
His coaching career was equally distinguished. He was Assistant Chief Coach to Shuaibu Amodu, when they qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in 2002. A feat he was to repeat with unheralded Togo, when he qualified the West African nation for the global Mundial in 2006, but this time as Head Coach. He also coached Mali and led them to the Nations Cup in 2010, before returning to Nigeria to achieve the unprecedented success with many home-based Super Eagles winning the AFCON 2013 in South Africa.
With that achievement, Keshi entered the sacred groove of African Football mythology by becoming only the second coach to win the continental ultimate prize both as a player and a coach, after Mahmoud El-Gohary of Egypt.
Keshi was an achiever, motivator and leader par excellence. It is not a surprise, therefore, that such a decorated career would have its fair share of high and low moments. For Keshi, perhaps the lowest moment must have been that time before the quarter final match against Cote d’Ivoire at the AFCON 2013 in South Africa, when his credential was openly questioned with reports of possible replacement.
Keshi brushed that aside and surprisingly went on to beat tournament favourite, Cote d’Ivoire, in style and won the championship. That Keshi resigned as the Coach of Super Eagles immediately after, did not come as a surprise to those who know his courageous steak. But he was persuaded to return. Though things were never the same again as his relationship with his employers became soured, Nigerians are immensely grateful for his sense of patriotism.
It is commendable that President Muhammadu Buhari has paid glowing tribute to the late footballer, saying; “Nigerian football will not be the same without Stephen Keshi”. The entire football world has risen as one to mourn the demise of the “Big Boss”. From FIFA President Gianni Infantino to many of the affiliate associations in the continent and the world, it has been tributes galore.
Keshi deserves them all. He gave his all to his beloved country both as a player and coach. It is this zeal and patriotism that some critics mistook for a mercantile and pliable disposition. Keshi’s patriotism was rewarded with the national honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) in 1994 and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2013 by a grateful nation.
Government should immortalise him for his contributions to the development of Nigerian football. We commiserate with his family, the Nigerian Football House and the Federal Government for the great loss. May his soul rest in peace.