By Amaechi Agbo

Eight years after his death in the ancient city if Ibadan, Oyo State, South South Nigeria, the Kwara State government is set to immortalise late Super Eagles legend, Rashidi Yekini, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Yekini’s immortalisation was disclosed by the Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Thursday.

The governor who visited the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare in his office in Abuja at a meeting said progress has been made in immortalizing the football icon, Rashidi Yekini by naming the Kwara State Sports Complex Stadium Ilorin after him.

He said that the government will send executive bill to the State House of Assembly to immortalize Rashidi Yekini with the name of the stadium changing after the approval.

Earlier, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare had told the Governor about the series of letters that the Ministry wrote to the Kwara State Government for the immortalization of the late football legend.

Mr. Dare urged the Kwara State Governor to sustain his support for sports development while noting that sports help to reduce social vices.

“I want to thank his excellency for hosting our biggest youth game in Ilorin. Your Excellency, we are coming to Ilorin again because of the facilities in University of Ilorin soonest for the youth Games. I love the fact His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq loves sports. I want to encourage your Excellency to invest more on sports,” he stated.

Rashidi Yekini who was born in Kaduna state on October 23, 1963 died on May 4 2012. He hailed from Kwara state

He became a hero and legend of Nigeria football after he scored Nigeria’s first ever World Cup goal in the Super Eagles’ opening 3-0 match win against Bulgaria in their first match in the 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA.

Yekini scored 37 goals as a Nigerian international, and represented the nation in five major tournaments, including two World Cups

He was also named the African Footballer of the Year in 1993 and was the Most Valuable Player when Nigeria won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

Many football followers believe that immortalising the legend is long overdo.