Rashidi Yekini (Photo: Reuters)
Nigeria's former football star Rashidi Yekini died on Friday at the age of 48 after two years of illnesses.
Yekini is Nigeria's all-time record goalscorer; hitting the net 37 times in 58 matches for the Super Eagles.
The popular hitman is famous for scoring Nigeria's first goal in a FIFA World Cup match, which he made against Bulgaria in the tournament's 1994 edition in the US.
The former striker was the first Nigerian player to win the African footballer of the year title in 1993 after his outstanding performances with his national team in the World Cup as well as the Nations Cup.
Yekini, who was born on 23 October 1963, began his professional career at home land with UNTL Kaduna club in 1981. He spent 10 years playing in Nigerian clubs before starting a long spell abroad. He played in 1987 for Ivory Coast, and later Greece, Spain, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.
In 2003 he returned to the Nigerian league after joining Julius Berger before hanging up his shoes in 2005 with home club Gateway.
Yekini died at a mere 48 years of age and will be buried tomorrow in Irah, Kwara State.
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