This Bank holiday weekend saw the death of a Nigerian football legend. Before the talents of Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankno Kanu came to the fore there was Rasheedi Yekini. The Former African footballer of the year died at the age of 48.
Arguably one of Nigeria's greatest ever players. The prolific striker was the first Nigerian to take the continental crown of footballer of the year and played a key role in some of his country's greatest football moments.
He scored Nigeria's first ever goal at the World Cup, against Bulgaria at USA '94, and led the way as they won the Africa Cup of Nations in the same year. He is Nigeria's top international scorer, with 37 goals from 58 games.
Tributes have been steadily coming in for Yekini. Among those to speak was Yekini’s former super eagles teammate, Sunday Oliseh who told the BBC; “Today I don't think we have a striker who comes even a mile close to how good he was as a striker,” He went on to say -"During my generation, he was the reason we were able to achieve the results we did -because of all the important goals he scored."
Those emotions were echoed by Yekini's captain at the World Cup in the United States in 1994 and the current super eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, who said -"A terrible loss for Nigeria and his family,"
Yekini had been ill for some time and had in many ways cut himself off from his former life as a footballer. He lived a reclusive life since he quit football in 2005, when he returned to feature in the Nigerian league. He aggressively shunned the media limelight and turned down several offers to be part of the country's football in other
However few will forget the impact he had during his career and when he scored that goal against Bulgaria. The strike itself was important enough, but the manner of his celebration, grasping the net in exultation (see
photo above), became an iconic image of the tournament, and of the man.
Rasheedi Yekini C.R.E.A.T.I.V salutes you for your efforts and says may your soul rest in peace.
Ben