Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Untold Story Of Rashidi Yekini's Last Days-PREMIUM TIMES
Nigeria's foremost soccer striker Rashidi Yekini
Yekini lie -In-State shortly before his burial in a decrepit bed in Irrah, Kwara State
By Tunde Eleduni
Accounts from neighbours and associates paint a picture of a man who struggled with serious mental and delusional disorder after losing life savings to a bungled investment.
One neighbour spoke of his losing life savings to a sham investment, and another recalled seeing him frequently around women selling Bóle (roasted plantain); and on two occasions he answered nature’s call by a roadside in Ibadan where he lived away his final days.
Then, a former teammate conjectured how a disheartening jeering from fans during a crucial match that turned out his last international showing, haunted him to a bitter end.
Those who met Rashidi Yekini within the last one year say at least one of those episodes played a role in his unexpected death last week.
“I guess he died of depression,” one neighbour said.
But after agonizing years in his own world, only in death would the former striker, who almost singlehandedly served Nigeria vital football wins, evoke such complex tales that offer a glimpse into a personal struggle with insecurity and despair, again pointing out the question of whether the authorities or even friends could have been helpful in saving the former superstar.
A day after his funeral in his Irra town in Offa, Kwara state, the talk in this local community remained the sad exit of one of their prominent sons whose achievements as Nigeria’s most prolific scorer has not been equalled yet.
“We tried all that we can do in our own capacity but the cruel hands of death still took him away from us. We only hope and pray for eternal rest for his soul,” said Mohamodu Mudasiru Adetunji ( the Esa of Irra), who was also Mr. Yekini’s uncle.
For much of his playing days, dating back to an active international career in which he netted 37 goals in 58 matches, Yekini worked hard to stay off the prying eyes of the media.
The line, “his games spoke for him”, came true.
But that seemingly evasiveness would eventually help conceal a fatal and terminal trouble that afflicted Yekini for more than five years, those who were close to him said.
“We all loved him but for reasons I can't explain he did not want to socialize with people a reason I feel had effects on him on the long run,” said Dimeji Lawal, a former youth international who lives in Ibadan, and knew Yekini for many years.
“We would have loved to help Yekini in our little way but until his last days, he wasn't really accessible.” Mr. Lawal described Yekini as a philanthropist who did all in his power to help the course of others.
After retiring from international and club football, Yekini led a low profile life in Ibadan, living in a four bedroom apartment on Ring road, reports say, away from his family who stayed in his hometown in Kwara state.
Accounts from neighbours and associates paint a picture of a man who struggled with serious mental and delusional disorder after losing life savings to a bungled investment.
One neigbour, who claimed to have known the ex-international well over a decade, traced the problems to a deal between Yekini and a confidant known only as Ibraheem.
“He has always been a quiet person who does not want attention on him,” the neighbour, who refused to be named, said.
“But for me, Yekini started losing his mind and began behaving erratically due to his loss of huge sum of money to the death of his only confidant and business partner, Ibraheem, who ran a bureau de change in Sabo Area of Ibadan.”
According to the neighbour, Mr. Yekini liquidated all his savings and turned them to cash which he transferred to Ibraheem for his foreign exchange and jewelry trade.
Ibraheem was gunned down by armed robbers after receiving a tip-off that he was to transact a huge amount that day and the robbers made away with the bulk of the capital which belonged to Yekini.
Barely without any savings left, that incident will prove a turning point in the former soccer star’s life, and will lead him through a bitter struggle that ended in death last week, the neighbour said. For Yekini, the experience added boost to his decision to lead an isolated life.
“He preferred to be on his own, believing Ibraheem’s death was the handiwork of wicked rivals,” the neighbour said.
Before his death, all his automobiles were in a state of disrepair and many times he was seen trekking in shorts in different parts of the city.
Many of such outings, another former neighbour, Mukaila Babalola said, led Yekini to stalls where women sold roasted plantains(bole) on Onireke road near Multichoice office in Ibadan.
“Always in short but not sport trousers,” said Babalola, who claimed to have seen Yekini regularly the past two to three years. “I remember reversing my car upon sighting him soliloquizing along Golf club area last year. I greeted him but he answered reluctantly.”
But that was not all. Twice, Babalola who described the locations he often sighted Yekini as “pathetic”, saw the former Super Eagles striker emerging from road side bush, with left over paper squeezed in his palm, after easing his bowels around Sabo and Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan.
A pathetic story it appears for this legendary striker. But other tales by colleagues and those Yekini thrilled with his superlative skills underlined a glorious reign of a man that proved one of the best in football, winning accolades home and away.
On his website, former teammate and defensive midfielder, Sunday Oliseh, called Yekini “one of the best African players and legends to ever walk this earth.”
But Oliseh reckoned that somehow a world cup match in which Yekini featured and was booed by fans as he was nearing retirement played a devastating role in the former striker’s end.
“Yekini felt betrayed and this haunted him till his death,” Oliseh wrote. “How could one give so much and receive so little in return from your own kind?” he asked.
More than that possibly haunted Yekini. Oliseh recalls the Super Eagles’ African nations’ cup triumph of 1994 in which Yekini played a key role, and winning the vital matches for Nigeria.
“Almost 20 years after this major conquest, Yekini is yet to receive the house the Nigerian government promised him,” Oliseh said.
“In other words, he died not being rewarded for his efforts to make Nigeria great.”
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THE ABSENCE OF PROPER
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 17, 2013 - 15:05.
THE ABSENCE OF PROPER LEGISLATION TO TREAT MENTAL ILLNESS IS TO BLAME AS MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE NO INSIGHT INTO THEIR PROBLEMS
THIS MAN DIED PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF LACK OF TREATMENT FOR HIS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS WHICH MUST HAVE LIVED WITH HIM FOR YEARS AND GOT WORSE AND WORSE AFFECTING HIS PHYSICAL HEALTH .
LAWS ALLOWING COMPULSORY TREATMENT FOR ILL PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THEY ARE ILL WOULD HAVE KEPT HIM ALIVE.
RIP
Submitted by John (not verified) on December 30, 2012 - 18:03.
Shame on Nigeria! Shame on Nigerian footballers!
i don't remember any African player who made us so proud in Yekini's days in South Sudan as we saw him play. His miserable passing away has just been brought to my attention recently when one of my friends remembered to talk of those days so vividly. even the so called Nigerian "super-stars" could not help Yekini ends his life with a sense of honour?
No wonder Nigeria's football is in shambles and will remain so for a very long time! shame on you Nigeria!
hun
Submitted by michael falayi (not verified) on October 8, 2012 - 23:55.
Remember,this was not a flashy man.so he wasnt throwing his money around.Just pray to God for you not to be a victim of circumstances.
Rashidi Yekini
Submitted by salami sunkanmi musibau (not verified) on September 3, 2012 - 10:25.
A good ball shooter, a galant lanky striker
Not Really Mr.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on August 9, 2012 - 19:03.
This can happen to anybody who fail to manage his resources properly. he was a very good footballer (a professional) in is rank! but may be poor manager of RESOURCES : REMEMBER DANIEL OMOKACHI- God just saved him ! WE HAVE A POOR INVESTMENT CULTURE ! WE SHOW OFF ON LITTLE THINGS / RESOURCES THAT FINDS THEIR WAY IN OUR POCKET! AND WHEN WE ARE DOWN WE BLAME IT ON THE NATION! FORGETTING THAT THE NATION ITSELF ITS RUN BY GROUP OF NFAs
Radhidi Yekinni
Submitted by Ikudabo (not verified) on July 10, 2012 - 04:48.
Great Nigerian Football striker Rashidi Yekinni will be remember for his contribution to the success of Football in Nigeria. We have lost so many great players to series of incidents without any formative assessment of what led to their death. It's time to look at depression and other medical issues that our ex-footballer might be going through after retiring from playing. May Rashidi soul rest in peace.
BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU DID FOR NIGERIA Mr.Yekini
Submitted by Ecouté (not verified) on June 28, 2012 - 12:17.
May your soul rest in perfect peace Mr. Yekini.
People especially our sports men and women about the way the Nigerian leaders abandon them when they needed them the most.
Our leadears put into their pocket not lesss than 500,00 naira a day, coming from bribes and office theft, and you couldn't not pay to cure Mr. Yekini illness, shame on you African leaders, may God deliver us from you thieves, amen.
R.I.P
Submitted by Ola (not verified) on June 12, 2012 - 12:11.
I found it hard to believe that a mentor who inspired me (as well as a lot of kids) to play football lost his life simply because he wasn't looked after by the nation he gave all he had to.
All along, I thought Rashidi Yekini had settled some where outside of Nigeria with his family. This is really a sad news for me personally and for our nation.
May your soul rest in perfect peace Mr. Yekini.
Yekini
Submitted by Steve Osasuyi (not verified) on June 11, 2012 - 08:38.
I continue to see your picture as you netted and celebrate that wonderful goal against Bulgaria. May your soul rest in peace.
MY PRAYER IS FOR GOD TO MAKE
Submitted by stanley (not verified) on May 14, 2012 - 11:17.
MY PRAYER IS FOR GOD TO MAKE NIGERIA NOT QUALIFY IN ANY TORNAMENT IN DE WORLD,BOT NATION CUP /WORLD CUP .STUPID CUNTRY.
What Was Blood Doing On Yekini's Corpse If His Death Was Natural
Submitted by Jibola Hurst (not verified) on May 13, 2012 - 05:49.
Segun Odegbami's article (see link below) has shed more light on what now seems like a suspicious death that needs to be investigated if those in authority are not too nonchalant like they always are.
http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/05/11/yekini-was-killed-odegbami/
What Was Blood Doing On Yekini's Corpse If his death was Natural
Submitted by Jibola Hurst (not verified) on May 13, 2012 - 05:45.
Reading the article by Segun Odegbami where he categorically states that Rashidi Yekini was killed in questionable circumstances www.nairaland.com/935865/yekini-killed-segun-odegbami and watching his Channels Tv interview www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5RDFQulm4Dc brought back my initial observation when the news of Yekini's death initially broke and the first pictures of his burial surfaced (see above), what first stuck me about the picture was the patch of blood that was seeping through his burial cloth around his groin area and my first observation to a friend then was that as it was not normal for someone with mental illness to just fall down and die that the blood could have come about because Yekini died from either i) a fatal fall whilst trying to evade capture by people who were forcefully trying to take him to hospital or ii) a violent suicide since we were led to believe that he was mentally ill in the period leading up to his death.
Tears
Submitted by Anietie (not verified) on May 11, 2012 - 13:34.
I shade tears to know that YEKINI is late, i pray that his gentle soul rest in peace.. We still have a long way to go in Nigeria Football with his death, may God Almighty forgive those who are behind his death...
yekini was a grate during his
Submitted by thilda (not verified) on May 11, 2012 - 07:33.
yekini was a grate during his life time may his soul rest in peace
Freedom Now
Submitted by Kris Kolamaliki (not verified) on May 11, 2012 - 02:48.
Rest in peace my broda,
I was born on the same street (Ogbomosho west) as you in Kaduna.
You are an auto mechanic just like my Dad.
Oriapata was your base and Leadway Assurance was your team.
Hearing the news that you died this way is very painful.
The silver lining there is you are now free.
A man of humble beginning and you made it to become a global soccer icon.
From Leadway Assurance in Kaduna, to IICC shoting stars of Ibadan, to Victoria Setubal in Prtugal, to Olympiacos in Greece. Rashidi you blaze the trail, life is not how long you live but how well.
The whole world stand at attention for you, you are way larger in death than even in life.
Rashidi Yekinni the Auto mechanic, who became a global soceer legend, the first Nigerian to score a goal in a world cup mundial adieuos, we mourn you my broda, while we are sad, you are free at last.
The almighty gave you a gift, and you blessed the world with it and your glory the world could not bury.
A sad tale
Submitted by Ayotunde (not verified) on May 10, 2012 - 14:52.
I am very saddened by the death of one of Africa's greatest legends. It shows how the nation quickly forgets her heroes. People like Yekini were supposed to be under the close watch of our football administrators even after his active playing days.
It is indeed a cold cold world and with attitude like this, we will hardly get any commitment from our footballers and may never get to win any laurel till the world ends. We love you Yekini and your tale would be told to generations yet unborn.
Adieu Rashidi
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 10, 2012 - 14:19.
NIGERIAN POLITICIAN SHOULD REMEMBER THE TIME OF SLAVERY IF NOT WE MAY NOT QUEIT COME OUT OF THIS MESS.THEY MESSED RASHIDI YEKINI UP GOD WILL MESS THEM UP.THEY STOLE OUR MONEY YET THEY ABANDON US IN DARKNESS,HUNGER,SICKNESS,LOOKING FOR A HIDEOUT WITH OUR MONEY. BOKO-HARAM WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM,OPC WILL SLAUGHTER YOU ALL AND SOUTH SOUTH MILITANT WILL CUT THEIR HEAD OF.
ur right.
Submitted by morrison (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 23:05.
Jesus wept...!!! How did you what i was thinking...
RIP
Submitted by HEENAT (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 16:44.
May your soul rest in perfect peace my grate hero.
There's more to Rashidi death
Submitted by Jackson (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 13:42.
Well he is gone let the wicked dance, becaue they have succeeded, but one day the truth will come out. There's more to Rashidis death than Nigerians can comprehend. Armed robbers my ass. Even if he's metal deluded, is it why the family should beat him up? Well God know best. May his soul rest in peace.
SAD STORY
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 12:34.
The only thing remain for Yakini is prayer. May his gentle soul rest in perpect peace, amen
How are the mighty fallen
Submitted by Stamina Fajuyitan (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 11:50.
WHAT A GREAT LOSS. May his soul rest in peace. He does not deserve to end like this. Nigeria is sick
Rashidi Yekini
Submitted by Tunde Stamina (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 11:29.
How are the mighty fallen? Yekini was a "sharp shooter" and the most dangerous striker ever to lead the attack of Nigeria 1st 11. More than 20 years ago he was nick named: "IICC'S SCORING MACHINE". May his soul reat in peace. I send my condolences to his family
What a sorrowful situation
Submitted by ola (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 09:15.
What a sorrowful situation and nobody can blame him for his deed before he died because nobody to advise him or talk to him because he believe all is over. Good GOD bless his children and family o AMEN
Bad Omen!!!
Submitted by Onyeka Basil (not verified) on May 8, 2012 - 08:06.
Yekini Rashidi of the blessed memory, a sporting icon (football), never spared a breath in his service to Nigeria.
My utmost confusion now arises when remember his unending patroitic spirit to his fatherland without relenting; but that same fatherland abandon him at his difficult times, only to floats millions for his children at his death...
My question now is; Shouldn't that same millions which is now being floated, to had been used to aid his difficult moments? Nigeria, must your heroes die before they will be remembered?
THAT IS DEFINITELY A VERY BAD & IRRITATING OMEN!!!
This is sad
Submitted by rina (not verified) on May 7, 2012 - 23:48.
When i first heard of the death of rashidi yekini,what came to my mind was that,*it is the end that we all cannot escape from* bt from uncoverin news,heard that he died from bipolar disorder and other delusional disorders, i became really sad..i then wonder dont the govt have retirement plans for footballers???perharps if rashidi had hope of gratuity from the govt he wouldn't have died...also the footballers,dnt they hve a union where they cn meet and check up on their selves?...it's just a pity.
This is sad
Submitted by rina (not verified) on May 7, 2012 - 23:45.
When i first heard of the death of rashidi yekini,what came to my mind was that,*it is the end that we all cannot escape from* bt from uncoverin news,heard that he died from bipolar disorder and other delusional disorders, i became really sad..i then wonder dont the govt have retirement plans for footballers???perharps if rashidi had hope of gratuity from the govt he wouldn't have died...also the footballers,dnt they hve a union where they cn meet and check up on their selves?...it's just a pity.
I cant Believe it
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 7, 2012 - 23:10.
Its so Sad , That Rashidi Yekini did not receive any National Honour , What a shameful Country and Leaders. Is it Because he has less formal education as they have recalled? , Lord have Mercy , where is this country heading to ? God will Jurge and Punish those behind the untimely death of this great and Humble Nigeria ,Whoever are in position to have assist him to live long will be and watch hime suffered to death will be Punished severely by God ...OH MY GOD I feel Like crying .... RIP MY HERO YEKINI ...I LOVE YOU
REST IN PEACE
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on May 7, 2012 - 21:59.
And we keep asking why Nigerian sport men and women remain outside the country and not come back when they are needed. Well Rashidi is dead but he still has a family. Some other industrious nigerians are still alive especially the likes of AJUNWA CHIOMA. Something should be done if not let nigerians focus on themselves and their families. REST IN PEACE our patriotic player
