Taribo West, a former defender for the Super Eagles, criticised the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) on Friday for allegedly ignoring the family of the late goal keeper Peter Rufai.
In a video released by News Central on Friday, the former Inter Milan player spoke during Rufai’s funeral and bemoaned what he called the disregard for Nigerian football icons after their passing.
“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.
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. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?” Taribo West said
Taribo West emphasised that the way previous players were treated deterred him from encouraging his kids to play football for the nation. He recalled similar experiences with late football greats like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha.
“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family.
“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he stated.
Rufai, fondly known as “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalie during the 1994 FIFA World Cup debut and the country’s victory in the Africa Cup of Nations. Unfortunately, he died in July of 2025.
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