Ace footballer, Rashidi Yekini, who died on Friday, was buried amid ovation in his hometown, Ira in Kwara State, on Saturday.
Yekini, who was reported to have died in his Ibadan, Oyo State residence after a protracted illness, was buried at about 4pm.
Reports from the burial had it that it was well attended.
His remains arrived in the town at about 3pm.
The Chief Imam of Ira, Sheikh Sheu Tijani Giwa, led the burial ceremony.
Giwa said that since death is inevitable, everyone should strive to do what is good.
He said: “We must endeavour to be doing good and worship God because nobody knows the time he or she will die on this earth.”
The chief Imam, who sympathised with the people of the town, footballers, the federal and state governments, prayed to God to grant him eternal rest.
A former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, said at the burial: “It is sad that he (Yekini) died at a young age.”
Ogunjobi said Yekini contributed immensely to the growth of Nigeria’s football.
He said: “Two months ago, I was driving along Ring Road, Ibadan with one of my friends and he (Yekini) saw us and stopped and we exchanged pleasantries and later we called each other after that day and I was so shocked when I heard of his death yesterday (Friday) in Ibadan.
“He was discovered by Segun Odegbami and me while on playing tours of Kaduna in 1981 and since then Yekini has grown to be the biggest star when it comes to goal scoring in Nigeria and Africa and never looked back.”
Ogunjobi called on “the Federal Government, Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan and South West governors to immortalise him and not naming any mushroom stadium after him but to put in place a structure or programme that will be of great attraction to foreigners in this country.”
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