Funeral of the late Keshi kicked off in Benin with a church service at St’ Paul Catholic Church, Benin City on Thursday, July 28.

After the church service, a novelty match organised by Austin Eguavoen held at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin which was followed by his body lying in state for fans to pay their last respect.

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The funeral continued in his home state, Delta with a lying in state at the Stephen Keshi Stadium at Nnebisi Road, Asaba before a requiem mass at the St’ John, the Evangelist Catholic Church in his hometown of Illah.

He was buried at his family home in Illah.

In all of these funeral rites, neither Dalung nor a top official from the Federal Government were spotted.

This comes following the Federal Government abandonment of the funeral despite several promises to properly honour the late Keshi.

Special Adviser to the Sports Ministers, Nneka Ikem Anibeze Dalung revealed that the Federal Government plan to properly honour the late Keshi after the Olympic Games in Rio.

“We don’t want a haphazard burial for such a great patriot, that is why the minister of sports, Solomon Dalung, has said the FG will play its own part after the Olympics”, Anibeze is quoted to say by African Football.

Ex-captain and coach of the Super Eagles Austin Eguavoen expressed sadness at the absence of top Nigerian government officials at the funeral of Keshi.

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"I am not surprised," Eguavoen said.

"We're yet to get the houses government promised us when we won 94' Nations Cup. Is Nigeria worth fighting for or even dying for?" he asked.

Keshi’s son, Junior earlier also expressed his disappointment with the Federal Government after they abandoned the funeral plans of his father

“I sat in front of the federal government on national television a few weeks ago and they promised they would honor pops the way he deserves,” he writes on Instagram.

“They said that he has done too much for the country for them not to. They made us change dates to fit the federal government’s schedule.

“But they didn't do as promised, we aren't mad, nor sad, just disappointed, they should be ashamed of themselves.”