Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has accused Nigerian government and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for neglecting the family of late Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, popularly known as ‘Dodo Mayana’, who died on Thursday, July 3, 2025, after a protracted illness.
Penpushing reports that made the allegation during the Service of Songs for the late goalkeeper and expressed displeasure at what he describes as the authorities’ shabby treatment of the nation’s heroes.
The former Inter Milan player, who is also a preacher was angered by the treatment meted out to his late colleague declaring that there is nothing for anyone to put his life for the sake of Nigeria
Penpushing further reports that West acknowledged expressed delight at seeing his contemporaries at the burial ceremony, but noted that it was burdensome that the authorities placed the responsibility of organising the burial on the family.
“For me, it is disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association, and they dropped the buck on the family. I felt it in my spirit. There is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I had to shift back so that I would not implode. It’s grieving’, he lamented.
“My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears. But when Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. For every individual I spoke to, I had tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?”, he added
Penpushing also reports that, the tearful and emotional West decried a situation where football legends like Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliha, and Rashidi Yekini were not given their due honours, emphasizing that he would not advise his son to play for the National team.
“I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Do we have a football federation or do we have a football association that this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist has to be treated this way? Could you imagine that the family will be crying just to solicit even within our groups to ask for money?”, he stated
Penpushing reports that West a former professional footballer who played as a defender, as well as Auxerre, Milanese clubs, Inter Milan and AC Milan, also represented his country at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal was full of lamentation over the demise of Rufai
The former soccer warlord who in 2024 founded a church called ‘Shelter in the Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nations’ in Lagos, however, prayed for the soul of the deceased to rest in perfect peace
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