The mother of the late Super Eagles goal poacher, Rashidi Yekini, Alhaja Sikirat Yekini, has described the death of her son as very painful and lamented that he was everything to her.

Alhaja Sikirat recalled how the late footballer took good care of both herself and her own mother.

She disclosed that Yekini was helpful to all his family members during his life time, adding that, "he always took family's problems as his own problems.

"Rashidi built a house for my mother at Ijagbo and two houses for the family at Ira, his home town."

Meanwhile, the Kwara state government said it received with great shock and disbelief the sudden and untimely death of Yekini, describing him as, "one of the finest and dedicated football players Nigeria has ever produced".

The governor of the state, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Alhaji AbdulWahab Oba noted that, "during his active days, the late Yekini demonstrated uncommon skills on the field of play and commitment to the Nigeria project that his was known not only in Nigeria but across the African continent as a great footballer. He will surely be missed at a time when his experience is needed to move Nigeria football to the next level."

The governor however, said that the family should be comforted that the late striker has a place in history.

"On behalf of myself, my family and the good people of Kwara, I condole with his family and the sporting world on this monumental loss of an illustrious son", the statement added.

A former technical director of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Taiwo Ogunjobi also described Yekini as a great footballer who left his marks on the sand of time.

Contrary to the popular opinion, Ogunjobi disclosed that the late footballer was not abandoned during his trying period.

He disclosed how the late Yekini rejected an offer to make him the nation's football ambassador during the 2010 African Nations Cup.