DEATH is inevitable for every human being, but those who knew the late Rashidi Yekini, say the demise of the football legend came too soon.Many of his colleagues and neighbours are yet to come to terms with how a man who made Nigerians happy in his playing days could die unsung, even in a country that cares little for its heroes.Those, who played alongside the late football legend, Rashidi Yekini, say words are not enough to describe his qualities, but they all agreed that his passion and love for the game was unrivalled. They talked about his generosity and his humble nature, saying that Yekini never underrated anybody.According to his associates, he was friend to the downtrodden and was ready to lend a hand to the needy at all times. But he was also a private person, who never wanted to bother anybody.When The Guardian visited his house yesterday in Ibadan, the building was desolate, unkempt and there was no sign that anyone had lived there in the last two months. What happened to this great son of Africa'The Guardian gathered that the family of the late Yekini came to take him to Apete area of Ibadan during the Easter festivities. He was said to have been taken in chain apparently in search of a cure for an undisclosed ailment. He seemed to have had a premonition of his death as he was said to have withdrawn a lot of money from his account, which he distributed to total strangers.A woman, simply known as Iya Ariyike, who sells beverages in front of Yekini's house at the Ring Road area of Ibadan, said she didn't think that the late footballer had any mental ailment.She said: 'I don't think Yekini had any mental problem because he went out every morning to train at the stadium and was willing to help whoever came in contact with him. It was during the Easter celebration that some people believed to be his family members came to take him away in chains.'He had a poultry while he was alive and they (chickens) made so much noise yesterday apparently having a feeling he was dead. Strangely, we have looked through his fence and the birds are all gone.'Some attributed his unbelievable generosity to mental illness but former international, Waidi Akanni disagrees. He said: 'The last time I met him was a year ago in Ibadan and nothing seemed to be wrong with him. But if people believed that he suffered from mental troubles, we should have all rallied round him to offer our help instead of peddling rumours about his state of health.'The former chairman of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) described Yekini's death as a great loss to Nigeria. 'Despite that he was not involved with the game after his active days because he chose to be on his own, he would however be remembered as one of the greatest players the country has produced. I pray that his family will have the fortitude to bear the great loss.'He is the goal king and his record speaks for him. He did a lot for Nigerian football and he should be immortalized by the football authorities in the country,' Akanni said.Thompson Oliha, who played alongside the mercurial in the Nations Cup and World Cup in 1994, said his late colleague was a very decent person, who concentrated more on the game and always wanted to win. 'Yekini was a thoroughbred footballer, who took his job seriously. Though he liked being on his own, he was a very good player who gave his all while on the field. Nobody could question his passion for the game as he exhibited a high level of professionalism in his career,' Oliha said.Oliha, who revealed that the late striker was his roommate on five occasions while they were in the national camp, said Yekini encouraged his team mates to be on top of their game at all times. 'Many people do not know this but Yekini was an inspiration to many of his teammates and he encouraged us a lot.'He was a prolific goal scorer and was more concerned with his performance on the pitch than the politics of the team. He was good and gave his best at all time. He also attributed his goal scoring prowess to his team mates and would celebrate with them each time he scored,' Oliha added. Oliha called on the government to immortalise the striker.Fatai Amao, who was Yekini's teammate and later a coach to the deceased, praised the late striker for his meritorious service to the country.Amao said: 'First, I must pray that the Almighty God gives him eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.'Words are not enough to describe Rashidi Yekini's passion for football. He was very dedicated and the way he played will attest to this. I don't think any player in the country has the passion he has for the round leather game. He would fight with you on the pitch just to ensure that things go on well.'Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, was so stunned by the news of Yekini's demise that he could not mutter a word when The Guardian sought his opinion on the 3SC former striker's death yesterday.When he recovered his composure, Keshi, who captained the Super Eagles althrough Yekini's national team career, said it was unfortunate that the national icon passed away so soon.'My brother I don't know what to say now. This news is too painful for me to bear so I can't talk to you now. Let us talk later,' a distraught Keshi said.Rashidi Yekini (October 23, 1963 'May 4, 2012)The late Rashidi Yekini, who died on Friday, was perhaps the most celebrated Nigerian striker ever to lace football boots for the country.Born in Kaduna on October 23 October, 1963, Yekini began his football career in 1982 when he teamed up with United Nigeria Textiles Limited (UNTL) Football Club, which he served for two years before joining Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan in 1982.'Gangling Yekini,' as the late Ernest Okonkwo nicknamed the mercurial striker, stayed with 3SC until 1985 when he moved over to the defunct Abiola Babes, a club he helped to0 may laurels until it was disbanded in 1987.Yekini made his first foray outside Nigeria at the demise of Abiola when he moved to Cte d'Ivoire to play for Africa Sports Nationale, and later to Europe, where he joined modest Portuguese club, Vitoria Setubal.The world first got a glimpse of what he had been dishing out to African football fans while he was with Setubal, with his ratio of goals per match only second to the legendary Eusebio, who played for Benfica in the late 1960s and early 70s.He was the Portuguese top scorer in the 1993/1994 season with 34 goals in 32 matches, a feat that earned him Nigeria's first African Footballer of the Year title in 1993.Yekini left Vitoria Setubal in 1994 after the USA '94 World Cup to team up with Olympiacos of Greece, but he was not that successful in Greece because of differences with his teammates. He left for Sporting Gijon in Spain, and later returned to Setubal before he wound up his foray in the foreign leagues with stints at FC Zurich, Club Athletique Bizerte and Al Shabab Riyadh in the Saudi Arabia league, before returning to Africa Sport in 1999.Wanting to play one last time in front of his Nigerian fans, Yekini joined Julius Berger of Lagos in the 200/2003 season before retiring from the game.The former boss of Gateway of Abeokuta, Segun Odegbami, later persuaded him to play for the team in the 2005 season. Yekini, then 41, was the top draw in the Nigeria Premier League that season such that stadium Gateway went to play in drew the biggest gate that year.While Yekini was one of the most successful club players of his era in the annals of Nigerian football, it was at the national team that he actually left an indelible mark.The 'goals father' scored 37 goals for the Super Eagles in 58 appearances, a feat that made him Nigeria's goal scoring record holder. He scored first ever World Cup goal when he opened the country's account against Bulgaria in a 3-0 defeat at the USA 1994 edition of the Mundial.Before the World Cup, Yekini was the top scorer at the Tunisia 1994 African Nations Cup, which Nigeria won for the second time in its history by beating Zambia 2-1 in the final.Apart from playing at the Nations Cup five times and the World Cup twice, Yekini also played at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, where he scored Nigeria's lone goal at the competition.
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