Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, has expressed deep disappointment and frustration with the way Nigerian football heroes are treated after their playing careers.
Speaking at Rufai’s burial in a video posted by News Central on Friday, West lamented the neglect and lack of support for retired players, citing Rufai’s family struggles to fund his burial as a prime example.
West, who participated in two World Cups and two African Cup of Nations tournaments, stated emphatically that he would never advise his son to play for Nigeria due to the government’s neglect of sportsmen.
“With this kind of example they have shown in Shofoluwe, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliha, Rashidi Yekini, I will never advise my son to put his feet for this country,” he said, visibly shaken.
The ex-Inter Milan star accused the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos State Government of abandoning Rufai’s family, questioning the lack of support for retired players who dedicated their lives to representing the country.
“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 and his family?” he queried.
West’s emotional outburst highlights the struggles faced by Nigerian football legends after their playing careers, with many reportedly left without adequate support or recognition.
He recalled similar situations with the families of Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, stressing that the poor treatment of past football icons had discouraged him from urging his children to serve the country through sports.
Rufai, fondly called “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year.He passed away in July 2025.
