Keshi, 54, is the only man to have won the African Nations Cup for Nigeria both as a captain and as a coach having skippered the team to success in 1994 and managing it to the trophy in 2013. Fondly known as Big Boss by his colleagues and those within football circles, Keshi was one of Nigeria's early football exports to Europe, playing for Anderlecht in the late 1980s.
One of African football's best-known figures, also managed Togo and Mali and his playing career included a spells with Strasbourg and in the American MLS League. His most successful spell came as a coach though when he coached the national side to the 2013 Nations Cup title in South Africa and the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Following poor results after the World Cup though, Keshi's is contract was not renewed by the Nigerian Football Federation. However, he later returned to manage the team on a match-by-match deal following its failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup finals.
He was then sacked as caretaker coach but reinstated after intervention from then Nigeria president Goodluck Jonathan. Last July, Keshi was sacked for a final time.
In December last year, Keshi lost his wife Kate to cancer after she finally gave up the ghost following a long battle with the ailment in a US hospital. It is expected that the NFF will announce Keshi's funeral arrangements shortly.
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