Oma Akatugba's Criticism Of NFF Force LMC To Name Award After Rashidi Yekini

We recently reported in June that Rashidi Yekini was remembered in his formal club Vitória de Setúbal in far away Portugal. A twitter handle linked to the NFF however quietly debunked the news saying he was remembered without a proof.

However an award  as been named Rashidi Yekini award which will go to the top goal scorer in the NPFL. We should however give kudos to @Omaakatugba who tweeted to lambast the NFF for forgetting such a national hero. Some young Nigerians spoke out their disappointment and also made it go viral online.

We are so happy that someone somewhere saw it and decided to do something positive about it. God bless them.


The League Management Company (LMC) has said plans in place to name and unveil a trophy for the highest goalscorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after Rashidi Yekini.

Chairman of the LMC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, explained that the move to name the trophy after the former Nigerian international is a mark of "honour" for his outstanding contribution to football while in service to the country.

Dikko also disclosed that the LMC has in its plans an end-of-the-season awards for the top division.

He said the decision is to institute the end-of-the-season award "is part of strategic plans of the LMC to create commercial value and additional revenues."

“There is a broad plan to institute awards and honour outstanding players, officials, key stakeholders and fans in the league at the end of every season and there are a number of factors that led us to reach the decision to name one of these awards, that of the highest goal scorer after the late Rasheed Yekini. The awards is part of strategic plans of the LMC to create commercial value and additional revenues out of the assets inherent in the league property.

"We considered the aspiration factor which seeks to let the players know that they too can become national heroes if they achieve excellence and make a success of their career. It says to them that they too can become legends of the game and the society will honour them as we have sought to honour the late Yekini,” Dikko explained.

Dikko further explained that the NPFL awards is a project for the long haul and will help in cementing the LMC's relationship with the corporate community.

Nigerian legend, Yekini, played for Nigerian clubs - United Textile Mills Limited (UNTL) Kaduna, 3SC, Abiola Babes and in the twilight of his career he featured for Gateway FC in 2005 after spending 18 years overseas with different football clubs.

The 1993 African Footballer of the Year scored 37 goals for Nigeria in senior internationals in 58 appearances before he died on May 4, 2012 at the age of 48.