From Our Correspondent
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara State chapter has commended the Federal Government for recognising late footballer, Rashidi Yekini, with a posthumous Member Order of the Niger (MON) award.
Olayinka Owolewa, Kwara SWAN Secretary, said in a statement that the honour is a recognition of the contributions of the late soccer maestro to the development of football in Nigeria, Africa and the world.
While describing the late awardee as a true patriot, who paid his dues, both at national and international levels with various clubs, SWAN commended the Federal Government on its decision to honour the late striker for his services to his fatherland.
The NewsZenith reports that the late Yekini, who was born on Oct. 23, 1963, hailed from Irra, Oyun Local Council of Kwara State, and was a member of the Super Eagles’ golden era.
He made history in 1994 when he fired Nigeria to the World Cup in the U.S.A and even scored the country’s first-ever goal at the competition.
Late Yekini was among the 11 outstanding personalities from Kwara and 456 other Nigerians, who were conferred with national honours.
The Soccer legend was also one of the two Kwara indigenes that got the award posthumously.
The other was Chief Superintendent of Police, Benedict Okoh Ajide.
Late Yekini, the all-time top goal scorer for Nigeria, had a successful professional career, which spanned more than two decades.
He was mainly associated with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, but he also played in six other countries besides his own.
Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international footballer and represented the nation in seven major tournaments, including two World Cups, where he scored the country’s first-ever goal in the competition.
He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. He died on May 4, 2012.