The Kwara State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has commended the Federal Government for recognising late football legend, Rashidi Yekini with posthumous award of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
Yekini, who hailed from Irra, Oyun Local Government Area and scored Nigeria’s first FIFA World Cup goal, was an integral part of the Super Eagles’ golden era.
Apart from his historic 21st minute goal against Bulgaria in Nigeria’s opening match of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Yekini, the national record goal scorer appeared 62 times for the senior team and converted 37 goals between 1984 and 1998.
A statement by the Secretary of Kwara State SWAN, Olayinka Owolewa stated that the honour was a recognition of the contributions of the late striker to the development of the round leather game in Nigeria, Africa and the world.
While describing the late awardee as a true patriot who paid his dues both at the national and international levels with various clubs, SWAN commended the Federal Government for its decision to honour the goal poacher on account of his services to his fatherland.
Yekini had a successful professional career, which spanned more than two decades. He started his playing career with UNTL Kaduna and donned the shirts of Shooting Stars, Abiola Babes, Julius Berger and Gateway.
In between his local career, Yekini featured for Africa Sports (Côte d’Ivoire), Vitória de Setúbal (Portugal), Olympiakós (Greece), Sporting Gijón (Spain), FC Zürich (Switzerland), Bizertin (Tunisia) and Al-Shabab (Saudi Arabia).
He was named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. Late Yekini died on 4th May 2012.
