FG, NFF to participate actively in Keshi’s burial – Pinnick

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, on Thursday said the federation and the Federal Government would participate actively alongside the family to accord a befitting burial in honour of the late Stephen Keshi.
He noted that Keshi apart from being a patriot was not an ordinary person, considering the love that has continued to pour from various parts of the world.
Pinnick stated this when he led a high-powered delegation of top sports officials from Abuja, Delta, Bayelsa and Edo states to pay a condolence visit to the bereaved family of late Nigeria’s former Skipper and football star who died in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital.
Pinnick assured fans, friends and citizens of the country that the late former Super Eagles coach would be immortalised considering the enormity of his contributions to the growth of football not only in Nigeria but also in Africa and beyond.
According to him, though the nation is saddened with his sudden death, the messages the NFF has received from around the world has shown that Keshi contributed to the development of the game, not only in Nigeria but across the globe.
He said, “Keshi was not an ordinary person. We will miss him a lot. He was a Big Boss because he always want to win. He was very exertive. We are devastated but proud of him and what he has achieved as a footballer. Keshi needs to be immortalised and we will liaise with the ministry of sports for him to be immortalized.”
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In his condolence register, Pinnick described Keshi as a “True legend, an icon of no comparable class. The entire football family will surely miss you. God knows the best. Rest in the bossom of the Lord.”
Also, the President of the PAMODZI, Mike Itemuagbon, urged government and stakeholders at all levels to always learn to remember their patriot and heroes when they were alive and not in death. He regretted that Keshi was being shown so much love and concern now that he had passed on.
The PAMODZI boss said Keshi meant alot to the people and appealed to media and major stakeholders to, for the sake of Keshi, allow football to grow to the level it is abroad.
He stated that, “If Keshi had received so much out pour of love while alive, he would have performed more for the growth of the game in Nigeria.”
The spokesman for the deceased family and brother in-law, Mr. Ricky Aburime, commended the delegation for the show of love and solidarity since the past 48 hours the sports legend died.
Aburime explained that both the NFF leadership, governments and people of Nigeria and the world would be informed about the family’s burial plans for Keshi at the appointed time.