Nigeria legend, Stephen Keshi, dies at 54 | VIDEO

Nigerian football icon Stephen Okechukwu Keshi died suddenly in the early hours of Wednesday in Benin City, Edo state.

The former international football player and coach had lost his wife of 33 years, Kate, last year after a prolonged battle with cancer.

“He was not ill at all, never showed any signs of  illness, but we suspect he never got over the death of his wife,” a friend said. He is survived by four children and his mother.

Former Ghana international Mohammed Gargo says he is shocked by news that former Nigerian player and coach Stephen Keshi has passed away.

The man who has been credited with helping some Ghanaian players secure lucrative moves in Europe passed away in Nigeria in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“I am really surprised to hear that Keshi is no more I can not even believe it,” Gargo said

“I am a Muslim and I believe that we will all die one day but to think that Kesi would be gone so soon was thinkable.”