Tears flowed freely as the remains of 1993 African of the Year and unarguably Nigeria’s best ever striker, Rashidi Yekini, was buried in his home town Ira, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The shocking news of the death of the football legend who was mentally unfit for about five years was reported last Friday after he dead earlier that morning at a private hospital in Ibadan.
Neither the Nigerian Football Federation nor the Federal Government sent official delegations to honour the goal poacher who was, Nigeria’s first recipient of African Footballer of the Year award.
However burial rites for the man who scored Nigeria’s first goal at the World Cup which began at about 4p.m. yesterday was witnessed by a mammoth crowd of soccer fans who travelled from far and near to honour his memory.
However the Government of the states of Kwara(his hometown), Oyo (where he lived) and Osun were represented respectively by , Prince Tunji Moronfoye, Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Dapo Lam Adeshina, Commissioner for Sports and Mr Stephen Kola Balogun, Commissioner for Sports.
Osun and Oyo States each donated 1million naira each to the family of the deceased, while the Kwara State government promised to donate 1.5 million naira to the family.
Mutiu Adepoju and Ike Shoromou represented ex-teammates of the ace striker.
Mr Dapo Lam Adeshina described Yekini’s death as a great loss. According to him, the country has not rewarded him for his contribution to national soccer development.
In his reaction the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said he received the news of the death of the soccer icon with great shock and disbelief.
Ahmed noted that the deceased would be missed at a time when his experience was needed to move Nigerian football to the next level.
“On behalf of myself, my family and the good people of Kwara I condole with the family and the sporting world on his demise”, Ahmed added.
The traditional ruler of Ira, Alhaji Abdullahi Oyetoro urged the government to always come to the assistance of the sports heroes to encourage the young ones.
The mother of the deceased, Alhaja Sikirat Yekini, thanked his friends and government for their assistance.
She said her son had been sick and withdrew to himself about five years ago, adding that they spent all they had to take care of him before his death.
