Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai, following his death in July.
Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s burial ceremony, West expressed deep disappointment over what he described as a recurring pattern of neglect toward Nigerian football legends after their passing.
“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family,” West said in a video posted by News Central.
“My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears. When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body… there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”
The former Inter Milan star recalled similar cases involving late football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, lamenting the lack of institutional support for their families. He said such treatment has discouraged him from encouraging his children to represent Nigeria in football.
“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country,” he added.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness.”
Peter Rufai, fondly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations victory and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year. He died in July 2025 at the age of 61.
