As Nigeria prepares to bury one of its legendary football heroes this weekend, the spirit of another late football hero of the same generation is being evoked. The body of late Henry Onyenmanze Nwosu, MON, will be committed to mother-earth on Saturday, June 6, in Naze, near Owerri. On Sunday, June 7, 2026, the first in a two-part series of activities in remembrance of late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, MFR, known as 'the Big Boss' by football faithful, will take place in Lagos at the 10th Memorial Lecture organized yearly by a Foundation established by his friends and family at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos.
Keshi's Legacy to be Immortalized
On July 28, 2026, exactly a day before the date (July 29) that Stephen Keshi died 10 years ago in 2016, his contributions as a sports diplomat within Nigeria's strategic foreign affairs will be showcased and acknowledged. His name will be inscribed in gold letters on the NIIA Sports Diplomacy Wall of Fame in everlasting memory of the great Nigerian football hero and patriot. His name will be added to those of 69 other sporting heroes from Nigeria's history who have already been deemed deserving of a place on the famed Wall.
The NIIA Sports Diplomacy Wall of Fame
The NIIA Sports Diplomacy Wall of Fame is a national monument established by an agency of the federal government of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, to immortalize Nigerians known to have made major contributions to Nigeria's international politics and diplomacy objectives through sports. On July 28, 2026, it will be three years since the edifice was erected within the premises of NIIA in Lagos, sponsored by Dr. Allen Onyema and his Air Peace Airline. The site features water fountains, a beautiful garden, and a black marbled wall on which the names of Nigerian sports heroes considered deserving are inscribed.
Keshi's Induction and Contributions
The existing list will now be extended to include the name of former Nigerian Green Eagles Captain and national team Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, CON. He has been considered worthy, and his contributions have been identified, justified, and approved by the NIIA. The extension of the space on the wall to accommodate his name, plus the small ceremony to be held in his honour, will be courtesy of Dr. Allen Onyema and Air Peace Airline.
Stephen Keshi played and captained the Nigerian national football team. He also coached and managed the national team of Nigeria to an African Cup victory, qualified and took another African national team, Togo, to the FIFA World Cup, and personally opened the way and assisted a whole generation of Nigerian and other African football players in the transition to professional ranks in Europe.
Future Inductees
Inside the sports diplomacy department of the NIIA, a few other Nigerian athletes are being considered for a place on the wall in the very near future. They include world record breaker and holder Tobi Amusan, first and only female Olympic Gold medalist Chioma Ajunwa, and the Atlanta '96 'Dream Team' and Olympic Gold medalists. The honours list is not based on sports achievements only, but on impact in the international diplomatic and political space in conformity with Nigeria's foreign affairs agenda and objectives.
I remember the great 'Stefan', as I called Keshi, very fondly. He called me 'Segunda Fero'!
