Taribo West, former Super Eagles defender, criticized Lagos State Government (LASG) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday. He accused them of neglecting the family of the late goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
In a video released by News Central, Taribo West spoke at Rufai’s funeral, lamenting the disregard for Nigerian football icons after their death.
He said, “It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family… When Rufai passed, I had goose pimples on my body. And there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”
West recalled similar experiences with Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha. He said the poor treatment of past players discourages him from encouraging his children to play football for Nigeria.
He added, “With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. This hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way?”
West also criticized the family’s struggle to raise money, saying, “Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness.”
Peter Rufai, affectionately known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 FIFA World Cup debut and the country’s Africa Cup of Nations victory. He passed away in July 2025
