National Award: SWAN Hails FG For Remembering Rashidi Yekini

The Kwara state chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has praised the federal government for recognising the late football legend, Rashidi Yekini with posthumous award of MON.

Yekini, who hailed from Ira, Oyun local government area of Kwara state scored the first goal for Nigeria at the World Cup in 1994, was an integral part of the Super Eagles’ golden era.

The late football legend was among the 11 outstanding personalities from Kwara, and 456 Nigerians who were conferred with National Honours, and was one of the two that was awarded posthumously from Kwara.

In a statement signed by the secretary of Kwara SWAN, Olayinka Owolewa, the post humours honour conferred on Yekini is a recognition of the contributions of the late striker to the development of the round leather game in Nigeria, Africa and the world.

“Yekini, all-time top goalscorer for Nigeria had a successful professional career, which spanned more than two decades, and was mainly associated with Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal, but he also played in six other countries besides his own,” SWAN stated.

Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international footballer, and represented the nation in seven major tournaments, including two World Cup Championships, where he scored the country’s first-ever goal in the competition.

He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993. Late Yekini died on May 4th, 2012.