News Focus
- Allan Thigo died on Saturday night at his home in Bungoma county
- His cremation will take place on Wednesday as per his final wishes
- The midfielder scored 88 goals for Gor Mahia, making him the club’s second-highest scorer
- He played 86 matches for the Kenya national team, Harambee Stars
- Thigo was part of the historic Gor Mahia squad that won the 1976 league title unbeaten
Football legend Allan Thigo will face his final farewell on Wednesday. The former Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars star died on Saturday evening at his rural home in Bungoma after fighting cancer for a long time.
His son, Philip Thigo, confirmed that the family will hold a cremation ceremony within 72 hours. “We thank everyone for the kind messages and support during this hard time. We will follow his wishes and carry out the cremation soon,” Philip said.
The family has asked for privacy as they prepare for the ceremony. Philip explained that although his father was a famous sportsman, he lived a quiet life in his later years. “To many people, he was a football hero with many nicknames. To us, he was simply Baba,” he added.
Thigo, known as the “90-minute man”, is Gor Mahia’s second-highest goal scorer of all time. He found the net 88 times for K’Ogalo, sitting just behind Sammy ‘Jogoo’ Onyango on the club’s scoring charts.
The midfield maestro was a key member of the Gor Mahia team that won the 1976 league title without losing a single match. He also helped the club reach the final of the 1979 Africa Winners’ Cup, which is now called the Confederations Cup. During both these historic campaigns, he worked as a player-coach.
At the national level, Thigo earned 86 caps while playing for Harambee Stars. Fans also called him the “Midfield General”, “The Professor”, and “Owner of the Field” because of his excellent skills on the pitch.
Several important figures in Kenyan football have sent messages of condolence. Gor Mahia patron Eliud Owalo is among those who have praised Thigo’s contribution to the sport.