Bern – The Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht of Belgium on Wednesday expressed shock and sadness over the death of Stephen Keshi, former Super Eagles of Nigeria’s coach.
Spokesman for the club, Mr David Steegen, in a telephone interview with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) described Keshi as an icon of the club.
”We are very sad over the death of Stephen Keshi; he is an icon of the club who did a lot of good things.
”We received the news of his death with sadness and have expressed our condolences,” Steegen said.
Keshi, 54, played for RSC Anderlecht from 1987 to 1991.
Also reacting to the death, Sunday Oliseh, a former captain of Super Eagles and Keshi’s successor as manager of the team, said ”we have lost an iconic hero”.
Oliseh on his Twitter handle added ”horrible news and sad day as our legendary captain and brother, Stephen Keshi, dies”.
Similarly, some Nigerians in the Diaspora and sports enthusiasts are mourning Keshi across Europe.
They told NAN that the departed Super Eagles coach was one of Nigeria’s finest brand ambassadors who played professional football with tact and skills worthy of emulation.
Mr Ken Gbemudu, a UK-based sport promoter and childhood friend of Keshi, said the nation had lost a ”great talent”.
”The history of Nigerian football will be incomplete without mentioning the role Keshi and his team mates played in the development of football.
”They brought global recognition to us as a nation and stamped Nigeria on the football map of the world with their defeat of great soccer nations like Brazil and others.
”Even after retirement, he was still appointed coach of Super Eagles; only a true professional can be called for such national service.
”We have indeed lost a gem,” Gbemudu said in an emotion-laden voice.
Similarly, Mr Bimbo Afolayan, former Chairman of the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK, said Keshi was ”a very patriotic Nigerian, who served the nation wholeheartedly”.
Afolayan, a sport enthusiast and a big fan of Keshi, said that like most people, he received the news with sadness and shock.
Others who spoke from Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and France, urged the Federal Government to immortalise the fallen former coach of the national team.
They also called on the government to establish a special fund to be called ”The Stephen Keshi Fund” for development of grassroots football. (NAN)