LMC Finally Accords Rashidi Posthumous Honour, Names Golden Boot Category After Him

Late Super Eagles striker Rashidi Yekini finally got his due yesterday, after the League Management Company announced that it has prize for the league’s highest goal-scorer after him.

A statement from the chairman of the company, Mallam Shehu Dikko, disclosed that, in a few days, the Rasheed Yekini trophy for the highest goal scorer as part of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Awards which the board approved at its meeting in June, will be unveiled.

Dikko said the decision to name the trophy after one of Nigeria’s most prolific forwards was made by the board as part of efforts to immortalise the player who scored a total of 37 goals in 58 appearances for the country and demonstrated exemplary character and commitment throughout his career.

“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’s statement read.

As a bonus, a monetary incentive and other social benefits will be attached to the award.

“We have received a request from the Rasheed Yekini Foundation to provide additional cash support to the winner and we are studying their proposal. There are already plans to officially unveil the special trophy for this award at one of the league game venues,” the statement read.

Dikko said the NPFL Awards is a long term project of the LMC open to corporate sponsors in both headline and other supporting categories for which some corporate firms are already holding talks with the LMC on their potential participation in the NPFL Awards.

Yekini enjoyed an illustrious career which saw him play for United Textile Mills Limited (UNTL) Kaduna, IICC Shooting Stars (now Shooting Stars Sports Club, 3SC) of Ibadan, the defunct Abiola Babes and Africa Sports of Cote d’ Ivoire, before his death on May 2012.

Any of the league’s leading goal-scorer stands a huge chance to claim the prize, as the league nears its climax.

Current leading scorer, Bright Ejike of Heartland, is top of the scorers’ chat, with 10 goals.

Others who are hot on his trail are; Ocheme Edoh (Giwa FC), Ibrahim Mustapha (Wikki Tourists), Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves) and Esosa Igbinoba (Nasarawa United) who all have six goals each.

Adamu Mohammed (Kano Pillars) and Christian Obiozor of Enyimba have goals this season.

Mfon Udoh (Enyimba), Umar Mubarak (Wikki Tourists) and Markson Ojobo (Enyimba) have found the net five times.

Four-goal heroes Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba), Ubong Ekpai (Kano Pillars), Yusuf Jaiyeola (Sharks), Olufemi Junior Ajayi (3SC), Godwin Obaje (Wikki) and Segun Alebiosu of Kwara United are also in the running for the award.