Accoordng to some reports in the media, plans for the burial of late football legend, Stephen Keshi may have been mired by lack of funds.
Sports Vanguard reports that there are allegedly no funds to enable the burial planning committee meet and even to carry out the burial activities proper.
Keshi died in Edo State last month after suffering from a very brief illness, and the Nigerian Federal Government fixed his burial for July 27, 28 and 29, with a committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Youth and Sports Ministry already set up.
Sources also disclose that Sports Minister, Barr Solomon Dalung, who has been hard at work sourcing for funds for the Nigerian contingent to the Rio 2016 Olympics is still unable to find a way to demand for funds for Keshi’s burial, estimated to cost about N30million from the Federal Government.
A source told Vanguard, “This is an extra-budgetary matter and we have to be patient with the Presidency.
“Having captained the national team for nearly 15years, winning the Nations Cup as captain and coach, Keshi deserves a hero’s burial and the Federal Government will do it but funds have been hindering us”, added another committee member.
Dalung had vowed to give Keshi a befitting burial as a beacon of hope to today’s youths that if they serve Nigeria well in any endeavour, their country will never forget them and will reward them abundantly even when they are no longer alive.
Now it seems the economic hardships and cost cutting efforts of the government may hugely affect the burial plans of the late soccer icon.