Millions of fans all over Nigeria and beyond lost their Big Boss Stephen Keshi last year. However, before that, Keshi Stephen himself suffered from a huge loss of his beloved wife, Kate. Who was she? What did people say about her? How did her death affect her husband? Learn more about the person who stood behind the famous footballer in our article about Stephen Keshi wife, Kate Keshi (Aburime).
Kate Aburime early years
Kate Aburime was born on September 17, 1962 in Benin, Edo State. For a while, she lived in Nigeria, but later moved to the United States to further her studies. She received a degree in Nursing from the University of Phoenix.
It is unclear whether she met her future husband Stephen in America or back home in Nigeria. Most likely, it was in her hometown of Benin, where Keshi played for New Nigerian Bank FC as a defender.
At the time, Stephen Keshi was a young and famous footballer, and fame started to get into his head. Girls were swarming around him, so many of his relatives and mentors advised him to settle down. Right at that moment, he met Kate and knew instantly that he wanted to be with that woman forever. Something he did not hesitate to tell her right away.
In one of his interviews, Stephen recalled that it was a mutual love at first sight. Even though she was surprised at his boldness at at first, Kate also felt that Stephen was the right man for her. That is why, after only six months of dating, the couple tied the knot in 1983. Stephen was 21, while Kate was only 20.
Many of Stephen’s friends did not support his decision to marry this early. However, he realized that their opinions did not matter, and that he and Kate were happy together. Stephen often said that Kate was a unique and extraordinary woman, and that he was lucky to have her at his side.
Married life
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Little is known about the married life of Kate and Stephen. They were never the ones to scream about their love from every rooftop or status update. We never got to see their lovey-dovey pictures. However, it only made their love stronger and that much more special. People close to the couple and even Stephen himself always mentioned how truly inseparable the two were. From the moment they met, they have only shown each other love and support.
Even though Stephen rarely expressed his feelings, he always appreciated his wife’s helpful input. Kate was his main advisor and counsellor. Also, a few of Stephen’s friends went to Kate for counsel as well. Many of them considered her to be their friend or sister.
Both Kate’s family and Stephen Keshi family always supported their union in every way possible. The two families became very close and stay in contact to this day.
Out of this beautiful union, Kate and Stephen had four children (Wikipedia). They are Emeke Enyihor, Stephanie Enyihor, Femi and Jennifer. The children grew up in a loving and caring home without ever feeling neglected or unheard.
The Keshis have kept their marriage going for more than thirty years. There were never any scandals or rumours heard about the couple, as the two trusted each other and were almost like siblings to one another. It seemed like their marriage would last forever. However, fate did not let them grow old together.
Death and burial
On May 5, 2012, doctors in an unspecified American hospital found cancerous cells in Kate’s body. Since then, Kate had been fighting against the terrible illness — breast cancer. She has been in and out of hospitals, trying (and failing) to find a cure to this terrible condition.
However, she was never broken by it. Her faith in God never faltered, and she stayed strong all the way. Kate also stuck to the regimen and medicine the doctors prescribed her. Her will to live was insurmountable, and she did everything in her power to defeat cancer. The support from her family also helped her to get through that nightmare.
Alas, destiny had other plans for her. December of 2015 came, and Kate found herself in a New York hospital confined to her bed. On December 9, 2015, her suffering was finally over. However, the suffering of those around her, unfortunately, has just begun.
The next day, her family, friends and acquaintances laid her to rest in Benin, Edo State, at Stephen’s house in Ugbor GRA. The mass was held at the Saint Paul Catholic Church on Airport Road. A lot of people she cherished in life were at her funeral. Her and Stephen Keshi children, her mother Rita Aburime, as well as football administrators and government officials came to pay their respects.
Additional wake ceremony and service of songs were held at the Dominican Hall of Holy Rosary Church in Antioch, California on December 27, 2015. Those who knew Kate but could not attend her funeral and wake in Benin were able to do it in the U.S.
Everyone was devastated by the loss of Kate Keshi. However, nobody was hurt as much as Stephen. He was not able to recover completely from the loss of his wife. Even though he kept up the cheerful appearance, he was slowly fading away. In his last months, Stephen became very withdrawn and quiet. Less than a year later, he passed away from cardiac arrest and joined his wife in a better world.
All the people who knew her well or only in passing always regarded her as a kind-hearted and smart woman. Despite not being famous at all, Kate still lived a good life. She raised five wonderful children and stood by her husband. It seems that Kate and Stephen took the saying ‘till death do you part’ to heart. We hope that they are both in a better place now, looking down upon their families and friends. May they rest in peace.
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