The Nigeria
Football Federation (NFF) has announced plans to bid final farewell to late
Super Eagles coaches, Shuaibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi with a farewell football
match on July 23, 2016 and to also immortalize them thereafter, if things go as
planned.
According to the
Federation, the farewell match is organized by the Lagos state Government in
conjunction with the Sports Writer’s Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and the
Nigeria Football Supporters Club.
It notes that a committee
has been set up to oversee the Lagos Farewell Testimonial Match for the two
departed coaches, Amodu Shaibu and Stephen Keshi, which is scheduled for the
Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
President-General
of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo, who is the Chairman of
the committee, said the event is meant to raise money for the families of the
departed coaches as well as celebrate the two illustrious sons of Nigeria. The
money raised would be added to whatever the two families get from other
donations across the country.
“The Farewell
Testimonial match would see the Super Eagles players battle against Lagos All
Stars team in the main match of the day, while the curtain raiser would be a
game between the Lagos SWAN team and the Supporters Club. This would be
followed by Musical Concert where prominent Nigerian musicians and comedians
would perform in the entertainment aspect of the programme. This aspect of the
event is coordinated by veteran music act, Chris Mba,” he said.
The Coordinator of
the event, Mr. Effiong Nyong, said “Amodu and Keshi must be celebrated with a
fanfare as they left solid footprints on the sands of time. It is sad that we
won’t see the two indigenous coaches that qualified Nigeria for three editions
of the World Cup out of the five the country competed in, again.
“We intend to
celebrate Lagos as the state where these coaches were made. Keshi started from
St. Finbarrs College in Lagos and also played top international matches as a
junior and senior at the National Stadium in Lagos, while for Amodu, as he
achieved all the feats at the club and national team levels chose Lagos as his
home. He left his family in Lagos to go to Abuja and Benin City to pursue owed
monies before he met his death.”
Nyong hinted that
the focus of the committee may extend to make the event annual, as the success
of the July 23 event will go a long way in determining what happens next.
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