FORMER Super Eagles defender Taribo West has lashed out at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) for allegedly abandoning the family of late Nigerian goalkeeper Peter Rufai, describing the neglect as shameful and unacceptable.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports that speaking during Rufai’s service of songs in Lagos on Thursday, West expressed frustration at what he called the authorities’ recurring failure to properly honour national heroes, both in life and in death.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying to solicit within our groups, just to ask for money?
“It is madness,” the former Inter Milan and AC Milan defender fumed in a video shared by News Central.
The ex-defender accused football authorities of leaving Rufai’s grieving family to fend for themselves, saying both the NFF and Lagos FA had “dropped the bulk” on a man who gave so much to Nigerian football.
“What kind of nation is this? With the type of example they have shown with (Samson) Shofoluwe, (Stephen) Keshi, (Thompson) Oliha, (Rashidi) Yekini…
“I’ll never advise my son to put his feet for this country,” West lamented.
Peter Rufai, fondly nicknamed “Dodo Mayana”, passed away on July 3, 2024, at the age of 61, after a prolonged illness.
Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest goalkeepers, Rufai was the Super Eagles’ first-choice shot-stopper at both the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, where Nigeria reached the Round of 16.
He was also part of the historic AFCON 1994-winning squad in Tunisia, which gave Nigeria its second continental crown.
Rufai made his international debut in December 1981 and enjoyed a remarkable 14-year career with the national team, during which he became a household name for his agility, leadership, and consistency between the sticks.
At club level, he played in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, representing clubs such as Deportivo La Coruña and Hércules CF.
West and Rufai shared a deep bond, having both been discovered by the late coach Monday Sinclair before going on to represent Nigeria during the country’s golden generation in the 1990s.
Rufai’s death has reignited calls for Nigerian sports authorities to establish proper welfare structures for ex-internationals and their families, a recurring debate each time a legend passes away.