LEGENDARY FOOTBALLER RASHIDI YEKINI IS DEAD,SURVIVED BY 3 WIVES AND 3 CHILDREN

It was confirm this evening that former African Player of the year, Rashidi Yekini is dead. He died at the age of 49,
Family sources said he died after a brief illness. Its was also gathered that Yekini would be buried in his hometown, Offa, in Kwara State Saturday.

Rashidi Yekini (born 23 October 1963) in Kaduna was a Nigerian retired footballer who played as a striker. He scored Nigeria’s first goal in a FIFA World Cup.
 
After starting his professional career in the Nigerian league, he moved to Côte d’Ivoire to play for Africa
Sports National.
From there he went to Portugal and Vitória de Setúbal, where he experienced his most memorable years, eventually becoming the Portuguese first division’s top scorer, in 1993–94, as his performances (32 matches, 34 goals) earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1993, the first ever from the nation.
In the 1994 summer, Yekini was bought by Olympiacos FC, but did not get along with teammates and left.

His career never really got back on track, not even upon a return to Setúbal, which happened after another unassuming spell, in La Liga with Sporting de Gijón.
He successively played with FC Zürich, Club Athlétique Bizertin and Al-Shabab Riyadh, before rejoining Africa Sports.

In 2003, at 39, he returned to the Nigerian championship with Julius Berger FC..
In 2005, 41-year old Yekini made a short comeback, moving alongside former national teammate Mobi Oparaku to Gateway FC.
Yekini scored 37 goals for Nigeria’s national side in 58 appearances,

He was the national record goalscorer. He was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup (where he scored Nigeria’s first-ever goal in a World Cup, in a 3–0 win against Bulgaria) and the 1998 World Cup.
The former Super Eagles top striker was survived by three wives and three children.
According to  Moronfoye; the  ex-national team player popular known as ‘gangling’ has been living a recluse life.
Speaking further, he informed that the late top striker has been living alone without all the wives and the children.
Moronfoye said, “you know none of the wives lived with him, he had three children from three different women and this really affected him,” he said.
It came like a bolt from the blues. The death of gangling Rashidi Yekini came as a rude shock as friends and families bombarded the Tribune sports desk to confirm the death of the Super Eagles all time record goal scorer.
Former Nigeria Football Association General Secretary, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi was stunned as he was unable to gather himself together amid sobs.
“It is like a bad dream. I never believed it when I first heard the news until I confirmed it from a reliable source. It is highly incredible. I’m lost for words. What else do you want me to say? It is sad, and a sad chapter in Nigerian football.

Segun Odegbami: Yekini can’t be dead like this. Do you people know what you are saying. It can’t be possible. I don’t want to believe it. Yekini is dead or what are you saying? I’m short of words.

Ike Shorounmu: Initially, I have to confirm to you guys (Tribune reporters) that he was not dead. But what I’m confirming now is a bad news. I don’t know what to say. It is a bad day in the history of Nigerian football. Don’t forget that I’m close  to Rashidi. I’m yet to wake up from a bad dream.

Demola Olajire, NFF, PRO: What are you people hearing in Ibadan. What exactly is happening. I just want to ask. Are you saying the man is dead? No. No. No. It can’t happen. Let me confirm from other sources. I will get across to you later after  my confirmation.

Elder Bode Oyewole: “What is all this about. Is it really true. I don’t want to believe it. Are you really sure that Yekini is dead. Please tell me it is not true. I refuse to believe this. If it is true, then this is areal tragedy. I don’t want to talk again.”