NFF, CAF Mourn Yekini

The Nigeria Football Federation at the weekend expressed sadness and sorrow at the death of Nigeria’s record goalscorer Rashidi Yekini.

Yekini, who scored 37 goals in 58 appearances for the Super Eagles between 1983 and 1998, died after a brief illness in Oshogbo, Osun State on Friday.

In London, United Kingdom for the launching of a foundation by another former international, John Chukwudi Utaka, which took place yesterday, NFF President Aminu Maigari said that Yekini’s death was “very, very sad”.

By a mile the most outstanding striker Nigeria has ever produced, Yekini loomed large in 15 years of meritorious and unconditional service his to country, during which he won the Africa Cup of Nations gold, silver and bronze and played at two World Cups.

The country’s football family was thrown into tremendous shock as news filtered in on Friday evening about Yekini’s death, as the man kept completely away from the spotlight and would only relate to only a few people, and therefore details of his sickness were shrouded in secrecy.

Nicknamed ‘Goalsfather’, the lanky striker’s first major tournament for Nigeria was at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. He then played at the 1988, 1990, 1992 and 1994 finals, his five goals in the 1994 tournament in Tunisia earning Nigeria the gold medal and trophy for only the second time.

His sterling all-round performance in 1993, which ensured Nigeria qualified for the World Cup for the first time, earned Yekini the African Footballer of the Year award in 1993. He was awarded the trophy inside the Hotel Abou Nawas, Tunis, on the margin of the Cup of Nations finals; the first to be organised by CAF.

In 1994, Yekini became the first Nigerian to score at the World Cup, when he connected a pass from Finidi George to put Nigeria in front against Bulgaria inside the Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States of America.

Yekini also played for Nigeria at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, during which he scored Nigeria’s only goal in the tournament – in the 1-3 loss to Yugoslavia.

The Nigeria Football Federation was represented at his burial in Ira, Kwara State on Saturday by member of the Executive Committee, Barrister Olaleye Adepoju, Chairman of the Kwara State Football Association, Alhaji Busari Ishola, the Chairman of NFF Match Commissioners’ Appointment Committee and former Kwara FA Chairman, Chief Kunle Adesiyun, and the Executive Secretary of Nigeria National League Ayo Rahaman.