Tribute To The Best Four The World Had Lost In June
By Okechukwu Okugo
The Sports world were rocked with successive irreparable losses in the month of June.
4 iconic sports figures were lost in America and in Nigeria, in just the first few days of June: Muhammad Ali and Kimbo Slice in the U.S; Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shuaibu in Nigeria.
Muhammad Ali passed away on Friday, 3rd of June 2016, at his home in Arizona after suffering for 30 years from Parkinson's disease, which made it difficult for him to speak in recent years.
Died at the age of 74.
Not only his name resonated in boxing as an American Olympian, and boxing champion, his legacy transcends far beyond the four corners of the boxing ring, which differentiated him from every other boxer/sports personality in the world history.
None of them passed through the tests and trials Ali passed, and none of them was subjected to what he was subjected to during the peak of his career.
His life had cut across political affairs, civil rights, a defender of his personal convictions; as such Muhammad Ali became a worldwide inspiration.
Yesterday 10th of June he was buried in his hometown Louisville, Kentucky USA.
Late Muhammad Ali had many motivational quotes notable and used around the world.
In attendance was world notable figures including the former US president Bill Clinton and Turkey president Tayyip Erdogan.
He was survived by his children: Laila Ali, Rasheda Ali, Hana Ali, Asaad Amin, Maryum Ali, Khaliah Ali, Muhammad Ali Jr. and Miya Ali; his wife Lonnie Ali and brother Rahman Ali, as well as a host of other relatives.
Late Kimbo Slice:
The King of Drug-free Sports. Late Kimbo Slice. Photo credit:
Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice, died on June 6th, 2016, at the age of 42.
Kimbo Slice was an American boxer, mixed martial artist and an actor. He died on Monday at a Florida hospital, after suffering a medical emergency at his home in Coral Springs, Florida.
Both Bellator Mixed Martial Art, and UFC released messages, how Kimbo Slice had contributed immensely to the mixed martial art sports. And the prominent South Florida Gym, the American Top Team, where Slice trained for many years, also released a condolence message how devastated they were at the death of Kimbo Slice.
The King of the Web Brawlers. Late Kimbo Slice. Photo credit:
Rolling Stone magazine referred to Kimbo Slice as, "The king of the Web Brawlers," while Heartmenders Magazine call him the king of Drug-free Sports.
Www.tmz.com confirmed that the medical report issued by the hospital about Kimbo Slice showed he may have suddenly had a deteriorated heart function and needed a "heart transplant" before he died of medical emergencies; as well as confirming that Kimbo Slice did not have a history of drug use.
He was survived by 6 children whom he had talked how proud he was sending them to college. One of his sons Kevin Ferguson Jr., made his MMA debut in March 2016 with a win.
Stephen Keshi:
The late coach and captain of Nigeria national football team, Stephen Keshi.
Photo credit: www.heavy.com
On June 8th, 2016, Stephen Keshi passed away in his hometown in Nigeria. He was a Nigerian football defender, manager and a great sports icon who contributed immensely both in Nigerian/African and American sports. He died at the age of 54 years.
He was the head coach of Togo national football team. He had also managed the Mali national football team, and won so many awards in the sports, like the CAF Coach of the Year, CAF Legend award etc.
He was one of the only two people in Africa to win the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach.
He brought Togo national team to their first World Cup tournament in Germany, 2006. He was the first African coach to successfully qualify two African nations (Nigeria and Togo) to the World Cup finals.
He captained, as well as coached the Nigeria national team; and in his playing record, it was reported his defense in the field was almost impenetrable, in his hay days as a player.
Stephen Keshi studied Coaching as a course in the U.S. and played soccer in California as one of the back-bones of the team's defense, for the short-lived Sacramento Scorpions.
He died in Benin City in southern Nigeria. His death was not only sudden but shocking to the Nigerian people. And it was reported he died of heart attack, en route to the hospital.
He was survived by 4 children who had now been orphaned as a result of losing their mother recently, as at last December, 2015, to cancer in the United States of America.
Amodu Shuaibu:
Died as the technical director of Nigeria national football team.
Three days after the loss of Keshi, another prominent figure in Nigeria football, died in the same city Benin, where Keshi died.
Shuaibu Amodu,was the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation, at the time of his death.
He coached Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles four times; and led Nigeria to qualification for the 2002 and 2010 World Cup.
He complained of chest pains Friday night and died in his sleep, according to Vanguard newspaper. He died at the age of 58.
He also contributed in no small measure to Nigerian and African sports.
Started his football career as a striker and played for Dumez and Niger Tornadoes, Nigerian club-sides.
Besides coaching the national football team of Nigeria, at least 4 times, he coached other clubs like the El-Kanemi Warriors, Shooting Stars, as well as the BCC Lions of Gboko.
He broke the jinx of northern football clubs' in Nigeria's inability to win the FA Cup when he took BCC Lions of Gboko to win the trophy.
A record-breaking coach. None had managed the Nigeria national football team as many times as he had done.
He had to his credit, the winning of the Africa Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 and between 1996-1997, coached the top South African club, Orlando Pirates.
Punch newspaper, reported he was found dead in his family home in Benin city, Edo State, about 4 a.m. Saturday morning, 11th of June 2016.
He was survived by eight children.
He had been buried today, 11th according to Islamic rites at his hometown, Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.
From our New York base, Heartmenders Magazine USA, are sending our heartfelt comforts to the grieving families, friends, fans, colleagues, communities, states, countries and the world at large for these heartbreaking losses.
Take heart.
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