Oh, Keshi’s Finger Of God

By Ikenwa Nnabuogor

Stephen Keshi may have gone to reunite with his ancestors but his finger will be remembered for a lifetime for possessing supernatural powers that helped direct affairs in the beautiful game.

Keshi, a great leader of men both on and off the pitch, led with panache, example and overall individual and general difference. Keshi also led with his finger, his magic finger!

Significantly, his famous finger, the index finger was his signature symbol, his act of deception tool that turned up games in his favour for club and country.

Diego Maradona had the Hand of God, our Keshi’s finger also came directly from God and the late ex-Super Eagles’ coach not only achieved success as a player but also as a coach.

Sourced from famous collegiate football culture the country was renowned for in the 1970s, Keshi began his tremendous football journey from the famous St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos, where he steadied his phenomenal football ship to safety.

Born defender through and through, Keshi started his documented defence story at right back before “fingering” his way through the back four and even taking it further at defensive midfield.

Keshi played with a difference; his finger which no one had or had but used to very minimal effect, Keshi’s finger pointed him to God.

Keshi knew deception and employed his index finger to point forward, left many opponents deceived and led them to chase wrong shadows while he propelled his team forward.

While his finger pointed forward, Keshi actually meant diagonal and sideways as his team mates understood where his compass actually saw the right direction.

Lagos Rangers, as the defunct ACB were known then refused to take their eyes off Keshi and forced him into their roster while still not done with the academical football tourneys that Lagos secondary school those days were known for.

Keshi took his magic finger along and would soon establish himself as ACB’s mainstay having joined up in 1979.

Ademola Adeshina, an ACB Lagos veteran, like Keshi, seemed to be the biggest beneficiary among many others, of Keshi’s famed Football Finger Academy. Adeshina, versatile as his bosom friend and comfortable in the back four, also chased Keshi’s finger to Belgium, where both excelled.

He would leave with the fingers again when the all-conquering Benin side New Nigerian Bank FC (NNB) snapped him and together with legends, notably former Eagles’ captain, Henry Nwosu showed them how it was done.

Eagles were the biggest beneficiaries of the Keshi’s magic fingers and the movement and direction of the round leather were largely determined by the route his finger pointed.

While Keshi test ran his finger at club level, it was at Eagles’ level, the finger came magically alive as he led his men to several victories that separated Eagles from their adversaries.

While his finger did the “work” of God, Keshi got mad skills that complemented his general performance on the pitch. Decorated by God with wonderful both feet, Keshi left no one in doubt where his skills belonged.

Apart from fingering his way forward and propelling attacks, set pieces were also his forte as his precision, shot and curves, led Eagles to several triumphs. Long range shots on both feet also forced admiration from his detractors.

His mates, especially at Eagles looked upon his finger for direction and leadership and of course, they knew and understood where it actually pointed.

From Stella FC Abidjan when the local league suspension hammer re-directed his footsteps, to Belgium, where his performances at Lokeren, Anderlecht and RWD Molenbeek, Keshi’s story remains a huge reference point till date.

Even in France, he will be remembered for his historic long range goal that took his side Strasbourg to the French Ligue 1 in 1992.

With his injury-forced career swansong finally shutting down, Keshi took to coaching and also took his finger along.

This time, he was in the dugouts, hugely experienced and exposed, his finger with a different colour, propelling his wards to bump forward to shoot down opponents.

Great achiever both on the pitch and in the dugouts, Keshi joined Egypt’s veteran gaffer El-Gouhari, in the record books, as the second individual to win the African Nations Cup title both as player and as a coach.

Keshi returned to his creator on June 7, 2016 after a brief illness and that was how the story of his magical finger ended.