Africa is in mourning after waking up to the news that former Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi had suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

He was 54.

His friends say that Keshi was in good health and had no previous heart problems.

After winning 64 Nigeria caps as a central defender between 1981-95, Keshi had three stints in charge of Togo before taking over as Nigeria coach in 2011. He also coached Mali between 2008-10.

Nicknamed "Big Boss"because of his outstanding leadership qualities, Keshi led Nigeria to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title, defeating Burkina Faso in the final in South Africa before guiding them to the second round of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Joy Sports Gary Al-Smith has been compiling the best wishes as they come....

We can never forget 'The Big Boss.' #RIPStephenKeshi pic.twitter.com/Aop1antBb5

— The NFF (@thenff) June 8, 2016

The tributes have come from far and near, after his family issued a statement.

"Our son, brother, father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years, Mrs Kate Keshi, who passed on 9 December 2015. Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning."

"He had planned to [travel] today [to the United States] before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest. We thank God for his life. We want to ask for understanding in this very difficult time for the family."

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Pinnick led the tributes describing the news as shocking. "I can't talk. This is too shocking and sudden to hear that he is dead".

Eventually, he found his voice: "Keshi was a superhero. His death is a big loss to Nigeria as a nation, not only to Nigeria football."

From East Africa came an official tweet: "Tanzania Football Federation is joining Nigeria Football Federation in mourning the death of Stephen Keshi"

And Kenya's football governing body also: RIP former Nigeria captain and manager Stephen Keshi. Football has lost one of it's legends." 

South African FA President Danny Jordaan and national team coach Ephraim Shakes Mashaba devastated by untimely passing away of former Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi 

Former South Africa captain & current South Africa FA Technical Director, Neil Tovey says he has been left gutted by Stephen Keshi's untimely death. 

Ex-Egypt superstar Hossam Ahmed Mido tweeted: "What a sad news..Stephen keshi has passed away" while ex-South African star Mark FIsh also said on Twitter: "Very sad to hear about Stephen Keshi passing away,condolences to his family..An absolute gentleman off the field and a fantastic player..RIP" 

Keshi was only the second person to win the Nations Cup as player (1994 in Tunisia, pictured below) and coach (2013). Egypt's Mahmoud el-Gohary is the other African who won the Cup of Nations as both coach and player.

 

Former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar also wrote on Twitter: "Keshi was such an admirable and dedicated man who did Nigeria proud with his talent in the game of football. May he rest in peace."

Music star Femi Anikulapo-Kuti, son the great Fela, also tweeted: "Shocking sad news of the passing of Stephen Keshi RIP we pray for his family."

Former African Footballer of the Year Kalusha Bwalywa said he "Woke up to the sad news of the passing of my brother Stephen Keshi. I can' believe it. I am in shock. I can't believe it. Keshi and myself started almost at the same time in Belgium. Sad sad. Words can't explain. Big man with a big heart Keshi was".

Henry Nwosu, a teammate of Keshi says, "We started together playing football. We played together in Lagos as teenagers and then we went ahead to play as teammates in the senior national team. He was such a selfless person and a brother to me. Keshi was a football man to the core. He did and gave everything for football. His commitment and passion were never in doubt. There are too many memories as teammates that I can't talk about because his death is a painful one for me"

Former Ghana international Mohammed Gargo says he is shocked. “I am really surprised to hear that Keshi is no more I cannot even believe it,” Gargo said

“I am a Muslim and I believe that we will all die one day but to think that Kesi would be gone so soon was thinkable.”

Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi also issued a statement: "Stephen Keshi was a great man and a noble spirit, whose shining example of dedication to football and to footballers was not only to dedicated Nigeria but to several countries including Ghana as he mentored several Ghanaian players."

He went on: "Keshi's death is not only a loss to our brothers Nigeria but also to the football fraternity of Ghana. He was greatly admired by all and he will indeed be sorely missed.

“I had the honour – and the privilege – of meeting him on several occasions, and I was always overwhelmed by his dedication to football, his knowledge of the game and humility. This is a very sad day for us,” added the FA boss.

Ex-NIgerian midfielder Mutiu Adepoju also said, "Death to a loved one is always a painful experience. This is painful news to hear. I still find it hard to believe this but my condolences to his family especially children. For me, he was not just a teammate but a big brother and a leader. I am happy he lived a fulfilled life though it was short."

"I am just short of words to express myself. He was more than a teammate to me. Stephen Keshi played a major role in the lives of so many of us who joined the national team in later years. He was selfless and a leader. This is a big loss to football" 

Okechukwu Uche, who won the 1994 African Cup with Keshi as players also simply said: "I am saddened by this news and I am lost for words".

In 2002, when Keshi, as assistant Nigerian national team boss to Shuaibu Amodu, qualified the Super Eagles to the World Cup, the country's football federation bizarrely did not allow both men to take the team to Japan/Korea. The man who eventually did was Adegboye Onigbinde.

 "This is too much of a shocking news for me to hear. I am so very sad and pained with this news coming just months after the death of his wife. Keshi was a man who did everything with his whole heart and his death is a big loss for football," Onigbinde said.

Chelsea Football Club, who benefited who Keshi's coaching of Mikel Obi and Victor Moses, also used Twitter to send their condolences, "All at CFC are saddened to hear of former Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi's death. He worked with Mikel & Victor Moses." 

 In the past few years, Keshi had been linked with a possible move to coach Orlando Pirates in South Africa. The club's chairman has been speaking. “It's a great loss,” Irvin Khoza told EWN Sport. “He made history as one of the few men to represent his country at AFCON and the World Cup.

“He brought a lot of confidence and motivation to players and coaches looking to make their mark.”

Khoza then spoke of his side’s link with Keshi, revealing that there was at one stage a “70% chance” he would come and coach in the PSL.

“Keshi to Pirates? There was a possibility before he joined the Nigerian national team,” he said.

“It's regrettable because at some time we were expecting him to be a coach in South Africa. It would've been nice to have a player and coach of his calibre at Pirates. At the time when he came from Togo, there was about a 70% that he would come to South Africa. There are a lot of Nigerian supporters in South Africa. This time around there were no discussions opened.”

When Keshi made his debut for the Super Eagles, the man he came in for as a sub was the great center-back Christian Chukwu, who also paid tribute: "At times when events like this happens, you can only take stock of life. I am really really pained. Keshi was a fresh breath of hope to our football at some point because he was different in many ways. But he's gone now and what we have left are the memories he has left us. May his soul rest in peace"

Current Nigerian players have also spoken.

"I just can't believe big boss is dead, rest in peace my LEGEND" - Oganyi Onazi.

"It saddens me greatly to hear Stephen Keshi is no longer with us. The Nigeria coach that made many of my dreams come true. Rip friend" - Bright Dike

"I have lost a father in Keshi," said current Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa.

More to follow...

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