KEY POINTS
- Taribo West blasts NFF and Lagos over Rufai.
- Ex-stars like Keshi and Yekini also faced similar neglect.
- Rufai was Nigeria’s goalkeeper at the 1994 World Cup.
Former Super Eagles defender Taribo West has sharply criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Lagos State Government, accusing them of neglecting the family of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
Speaking at Rufai’s burial in Lagos, the ex-Inter Milan star said he was disheartened by the lack of institutional support, while describing the treatment of Nigerian football heroes after death as a national disgrace.
Taribo West blasts NFF, condemns neglect of heroes
In a video shared by News Central, West lamented that Rufai’s family had been left to bear the financial, also emotional burden of the funeral without meaningful support from football authorities.
Nigeria’s neglect of football icons sparks outrage
He compared Rufai’s situation to the experiences of other late football legends such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, arguing that Nigeria’s failure to honor its heroes discourages future generations from representing the country.
Rufai also remembered as a national football icon
Rufai, popularly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the Super Eagles’ 1994 Africa Cup of Nations victory and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year. He finally passed away in July 2025.
