Former Super Eagles defender Taribo West has lamented the shabby treatment meted out to late legendary goalkeeper, Peter Rufai by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government.
Speaking at Rufai’s burial in a video shared by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan strongman bemoaned how the family of Peter Rufai was abandoned after he died, noting that such neglect is why he would never encourage his own son to play for Nigeria.
The former Inter Milan strongman xpressed outrage at what he described as the consistent failure of Nigerian authorities to honour football heroes 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. 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?”
“With this kind of example they have shown in (Yisa) Sofoule, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliya and Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), 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.”
Peter Rufai, who was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup tournaments, died on July 3 at the age of 61 in a Lagos hospital after reportedly battling a long-term illness.
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