Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has criticised the treatment of Nigerian football icons, saying the neglect of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai’s family by the authorities shows that the country does not value its heroes.
Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s burial, in a video shared by News Central on Friday, the former Inter Milan star faulted both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for failing to support the family of the late goalkeeper.
“What kind of nation is this? Lagos State is here, the Football Federation is here, yet the burden is left for the family. It’s heartbreaking,” Taribo said.
He admitted that Rufai’s passing touched him deeply, even more than the loss of his own parents.
“My mother passed away, I did not shed tears. My father died in my hands, I did not shed tears. But when Rufai passed, I had goose pimples and tears rolled down my cheeks,” he recalled.
West noted that Rufai’s case was not an isolated one, pointing to the similar experiences of late football greats such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha. According to him, such neglect has discouraged him from ever encouraging his children to represent Nigeria in football.
“With examples like this, how can I advise my son to play for this country? Imagine the family of a national hero begging for money just to get by—that is madness,” he lamented.
Rufai, popularly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and also featured at the country’s first FIFA World Cup appearance that same year. He died in July 2025.
