Stephen Keshi wakiniye ikipe y'igihugu ya Nigeriya akanayitoza yitabye Imana.
Keshi yari afite imyaka 54 y’amavuko. Yaba yazize umutima.
Kuva atangira umwuga wo gukina umupira w’amaguru mu 1985, Keshi yakinnye mu makipe yo mu gihugu cye, muri Cote d’Ivoire, mu Bubiligi, mu Bufaransa, muri Leta zunze ubumwe z’Amerika no muri Malaisia. Yakinaga mu b’inyuma, ba myugariro.
Aho yanyuze hose, bemeza ko yari umukinnyi w’igitangaza kandi wari ufite n’imbaraga.
Kuva mu 1981 kugera mu 1994 yakiniye ikipe y’igihugu cye, Super Eagles, ndetse yaje no kuyibera kapiteni. Batwaye igikombe cy’Afrika cy’ibihugu, CAN, mu 1994.
Muri uwo mwaka kandi, bagiye bwa mbere na mbere mu mikino ya nyuma y’igikombe cy’isi, yabereye muri Leta zunze ubumwe z’Amerika. Bagarukiye muri kimwe cya munani, batsinzwe n’Ubutaliyani bibiri kuri kimwe nyuma y’iminota 30 y’inyongera.
Stephen Keshi yahagaritse gukina burundu mu 1997, ajya kwiga umwuga w’ubutoza. Yatoje ikipe y’igihugu cya Togo. Yayihesheje amanota yo kujya mu gikombe cy’isi mu 2006.
Yatoje na Mali ayigeza mu gikombe cy’Afrika cy’ibihugu mu 2010. Nyuma yabaye umutoza w’ikipe y’igihugu cye, aho bamuhaye akazina k’akabyiniriro ka “Big Boss,” bishatse nko kuvuga “Umutware w’Igikurankota.”
Batwaye igikombe cy’Afrika cy’ibihugu mu 2013 muri Afrika y’Epfo. Bityo Keshi aba abaye uwa kabiri mu mateka y’Afrika, nyuma y’umunya-Misiri Mahmoud El Gohary watwaye CAN ari umukinnyi ari n’umutoza. Ishyirahamwe ry’umupira w’amaguru muri Afrika, CAF, ryabimuhereye igihembo cy’umutoza wa mbere muri Afrika muri uwo mwaka w’2013.
Mu mwaka wakurikiyeho, Nigeria yagiye mu gikombe cy’isi muri Bresil. Yavuyemo itsinzwe bibiri ku busa n’Ubufaransa muri kimwe cy’umunani, Keshi aba abaye umutoza wa mbere na mbere w’Umunyafrika wari urenze amajonjora y’imikino ya nyuma y’igikombe cy’isi.
Kuri perezida wa NFF, ishyirahamwe ry’umupira w’amaguru rya Nigeria, Amaju Pinnick, Stephen Keshi yari igihangange. Urupfu rwe si igihombo mu mupira w’amaguru gusa, ahubwo ni igihombo gikomeye ku gihugu cyose.
Naho Issa Hayatou, perezida w’ishyirahamwe ry’umupira w’amaguru muri Afrika, CAF, yatangaje ko yakubiswe n’inkuba yumvise urupfu rwa Stehen Keshi.