Stephen Keshi, former Super Eagles coach and ex Super Eagles defender dies at 54

Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former Super Eagles Coach and ex Super Eagles defender is dead. He was 54 years old died at the wee hours of today, Wednesday, in Benin. Ademola Olajire, an Assistant Director of Communications in the Nigeria Football Federation, said that Keshi had problems with his legs and that he could not stand for long and that he died after he was rushed to an hospital in Benin after complaining of his legs.
Keshi’s Assistant Coach, Valere Hounandinou confirmed that “last week Stephen Keshi complained to him that he was having irregular heartbeats and he advised him to go the hospital”.

His family released a statement this morning, announcing his death:

“With thanksgiving to God, the Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, announces the death of Mr. Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi.ur son, brother, father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years (Nkem ), Mrs. Kate Keshi, who passed on on the 9th December 2015. Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning. He came back to Nigeria to be with her. He had planned to fly back today Wednesday, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest.” his brother Emmanuel Ado said in a statement.

Keshi was married to his wife Kate (née Abureme) for 33 years and they had four children together.. She died on 10 December 2015, after battling cancer for three years. He is survived by his four children and his aged mother.

The NFF also confirmed his death in a tweet this morning saying:

The Nigeria Football Federation on it twitter handle @thenff tweeted ‘Former Nigeria Captain and Coach, Stephen Keshi, is dead. Reports say the legend died in the early hours of Wednesday, RIP Big Boss.

Keshi became coach of the Nigerian National Team in 2011. In 2013 he led Super Eagles Nigeria to qualification for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which they won by defeating Burkina Faso 1–0 in the final.