Youth and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, has indicated that he or the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry would head the now expanded committee for the burial of the late soccer icon and coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.
Already, a tentative date of July 27-29, has been picked with several state governments stating their intentions to be part of the burial. Among the states are Lagos, Cross River, Rivers and Keshi home states of Edo and Delta. The 20-man committee initially announced may have been expanded to 25 with several important sectors like the Supports Club, Sports Journalists, representatives of the NFF, all states indicative of participation in the burial, the Police, Civil Defence, Army and a strong team from his ancestral home in Illah all involved.
Among the media men already touted to be in the committee are IAPS big wig, Mitchel Obi, and former NFF Spokesman, Austin ‘Booster’ Mgbolu. The family is fully involved in the latest development and they have agreed that Keshi’s body will lie in state at the National Stadium in Abuja, from where it would be moved to Benin City for another lying in state. From the Edo State capital, the body will move to the Delta State capital, Asaba, from where it will make its final journey to Illah for burial.
There are already indications that the Federal may name one of the National stadia after the late soccer legend with Abuja and the Lagos Stadium, where Keshi made a big mark being considered. “The final decision rest with the Federal Government but the family is aware that there are such plans”, a family source informed.