By Charles Pemu 
Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has berated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late legendary goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.
Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s burial on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star expressed disappointment over what he described as the recurring neglect of Nigeria’s football heroes after their deaths.
“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving,” West lamented.
The former international revealed how deeply Rufai’s passing touched him, admitting that while he never shed tears at the loss of his parents, he broke down when the ex-goalkeeper died.
“When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?” he questioned.
West recalled similar neglect faced by the families of late football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha. He warned that such treatment discourages younger generations from pursuing football as a career in Nigeria.
“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit money? That is madness,” he fumed.
Rufai, fondly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the country’s victorious 1994 Africa Cup of Nations campaign and also starred at the FIFA World Cup the same year.
He passed away in July 2025, leaving behind a legacy as one of Nigeria’s greatest goalkeepers, but his burial has reignited debate over how the country treats its sporting legends.