A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has condemned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Lagos State Government for their alleged neglect of Peter Rufai’s burial.
Taribo also slammed the NFF for allegedly not standing by the family of Rufai during their time of need.
Speaking at Rufai’s service of songs in Lagos on August 22, 2025, West expressed deep frustration over what he described as the lack of support for the family of the 1994 AFCON-winning goalkeeper, who passed away on July 3 at age 61 after a prolonged illness.
Taribo, a former Inter Milan star and Olympic gold medalist, was visibly emotional as he recounted how Rufai’s family was left to solicit funds within private groups to cover burial expenses, a situation he described as “madness.”
Buttressing his allegations of neglect of Rufai’s burial, Taribo said the same thing was done to icons like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha.
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, tears were 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 within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports this comes after Rufai passed away on July 3 at the age of 61 in a Lagos hospital after reportedly battling a long-term illness.
Recall that Rufai was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also starred in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), winning silver in 1984 and 1988 before lifting the trophy with Nigeria in 1994.
