Even in death… Keshi’s controversies rage in Nigerian football

He Was A Trail Blazer, Ibori

“Where is Aminu Maigari? I’m still waiting to read his tribute to Keshi or condolence message to Keshi’s family.”

That was the angry reaction by Patrick Omorodion, former Special Adviser (Media) to the immediate past Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, when the news of Stephan Keshi’s death hit Nigerians in the early hours of Wednesday.

“Maigari started it all, quarreling with Keshi who made history in 2013 leading the Super Eagles to win the Africa Nations Cup in South Africa. Keshi’s sin, Maigari felt he took the credit alone,” Omorodion stated on Facebook.

For former Green Eagles winger, Adegoke Adelabu, Keshi’s death has thrown up the big question of whether Nigerian sportsmen and women live a fulfilled life after active years?

He said in a message to The Guardian: “Death is our unseen opponent at every stage in sport. In football, if you survive the first half, it is awaiting you in the second half of the game and occasionally it will go into extra time with us and even to the dead ball situations, but the fact is we do not know at what stage it will win the game.”

“For the ex-internationals who are now their own spectators in the four corners of their homes, our lifestyle, coupled with unpleasant memories and uncertain future in a country where a few group of people control the economy of our sport make it an added advantage for death to win the game of life easily. We must arise,” Adelabu, a sports scientist, said.

The former IICC of Ibadan winger continues: “I keep hearing from the press that Stephen Keshi’s death was a big loss; to whom? Since Keshi was unceremoniously sacked by a group of political touts in our football administration, how many journalists asked of him? This guy stayed at home going through mental torture as a result of the way the people of his own country treated him and there was no help from anywhere. It took the intervention of the president of a country like Nigeria for him to keep his job at a point in his career.

“His death was obviously a loss to his family and I do not know how you can claim to miss someone who you made irrelevant in the development of the game he spent his whole life to play.

“I know there are still many of us alive and this is a big lesson for the rest of us in every sport. I do not understand why the sport we spent our lives to build turns its back against us when we need its support.

“The question is, how can we have different people in sport administration at different times, but doing the same thing? That is a good sign that the sport administration is under CURSE,” Adelabu added.

The death Stephen Keshi, the most successful football coach to come from African continent, has left many Nigerians devastated in the last three days.

As Nigerians continue to mourn his exit, there are arguments within the football family on whether on not Keshi deserved the treatment melted to him by the NFF after his failure to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2015 African Nations Cup.

While some analysts have pointed out that ‘pushing’ Keshi away from the Super Eagles job was the Genesis of his problem, some others say the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF should not be blamed for sacking ‘The Big Boss.’

Speaking on a radio programme in Lagos yesterday, one football analyst, who gave his name as Samson said: “I have been following various comments by Nigerians since the death of Keshi on Wednesday.

“A majority of us actually clamoured for Keshi to be employed, especially after Samson Siasia failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2012 African Nations Cup. We celebrated Keshi as hero when he led the Super Eagles to win the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.

“But as they say in football worldwide, there are two types of coaches: those sacked and those waiting to be sacked. I am sure many Nigerians decided to turn against him (Keshi) by calling for his sack when he failed to qualify the team for the 2015 African Nations Cup. It was stated in the contract he signed with the NFF that he would take the Super Eagles to at least the semifinal of the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea. Let us call a spade a spade, and people should stop pointing accusing fingers at the leadership of the NFF for sacking Keshi. There should be no sentiment about it,” Samson stated.

Another caller, Adeolu said: “I don’t see any reason why some Nigerians should be playing politics over the death of Keshi. We all loved him and supported him from his days as a player till he became coach of the Super Eagles. But there are certain things people should know about Nigerian football. We are all guilty because once the results are no longer coming, people always put pressure on the NFF, and in that case, they call for changes. It happens everywhere and we should stop trading blames. After all, some Nigerians clamoured for the removal of Clemens Wasterhof at a point despite leading the Super Eagles to win the African Nations Cup trophy at Tunisia ’94 and qualifying the team for the first FIFA World Cup in USA. To me, what should be of paramount now is for Nigeria to give Keshi a befitting burial. The federal government should also immortalise him for his great work,” Adeolu stated.

Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has described Keshi as a veritable achiever and trail blazer, who changed the lots of Nigerian footballers for the better.

Ibori said in a press statement signed by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, yesterday that Keshi was outstanding both as a player or Coach, or even just a Nigerian who refused to allow others decide his fate in life.

Ibori said: “let it never be forgotten that it was after the Keshi a New Nigerian Bank football captain and national team player was slammed with a ban that he left Nigerian shores – and opened the floodgates for others to follow him into professionalism in other African countries and Europe.”

“Thus, whatever good things that have happened to Nigerian football because of any influence from our having numerous footballers performing in the world’s best football leagues, should be credited to Keshi. Most of all, he remained a mentor to both his mates and those that followed behind them.”

Ibori, whose tenure as governor saw Delta State winning the National Sports Festival on three occasions at Bauchi 2000, Abuja 2004 and Gateway 2006 said that Keshi showcased that quality that has made Delta State first in sports: an uncommon commitment to any task.”