Five years down the line since the departure of Nigerian Football Icon and Philanthropist, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, encomiums have continued to pour in to celebrate one of the legend of the game.
His teammate and Ex-International, Paul Okoku described the AFCON winning player and coach as the pride and face of the nation.
Okoku who eulogise the icon at the Stephen Keshi 5th annual memorial lecture said that he executed his job as the Super Eagles handler effectively and professionally.
The Ex-International, who is also the CEO and Founder of Greater Tomorrow Children Foundation, added that Keshi’s philanthropic efforts endeared him to many, both on and off the field.
Okoku also revealed that The Greater Tomorrow Children Foundation has supported the last two editions of the SKFVTC Lecture and National U-17 Tournament both in cash and kind.
His words: He executed his national coaching tasks, assignments and responsibilities flawlessly, and professionally with the utmost personal and financial sacrifice that brought the nation a flood of relief when his team won the 2013 AFCON tournament after 19 years. He was our nation’s pride, the face of Nigerian football.
“Stephen Keshi’s characteristics included unbiased and unassuming leadership and his father-benevolent approach and direct action to humanity where he co-donated (with me and Godwin Odiye), computers, laptops, printers, generators, etc. to St. Paul’s primary school.
“He graced Greater Tomorrow Children’s Foundation to celebrate Children’s Day and World Hunger Day as his own way of giving back to the community.
“His deeds did not go unnoticed either—he received the highest Mainland humanitarian award for giving back to the society that supported him. That was Stephen, an ambassador for goodwill.”
Okoku went further to recall their sojourn in the then Nigeria Football Association and how they rose to the pinnacle from Ball Boys to superstars.
“Stephen and I played together for Greater Tomorrow under the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) as the curtain raisers to entertain the crowd before big-named clubs and national teams played. We were sponsored by NFA to attend the coaching clinic organized by Pele himself at the Liberty stadium, Ibadan.
“This was in 1976 when we, as a team, traveled from Lagos to Ibadan to meet with Pele of Brazil. Stephen captained the team then as well. He took his education just as seriously then as he did at the primary school level. His dedication was so fierce he’d leave vital games during soccer season for his classes!
“The late Stephen Keshi and I also served as ball boys with Henry Nwosu. Stephen was my captain at St. Finbarr’s college, Akoka, Lagos, where we stayed at the boys’ quarters in the school’s compound for two years consecutively.”
