Duro Ikhazuagbe

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residential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, paid condolence visit to the family of late Peter Rufai in Lagos yesterday but left feeling sad over the neglect of the former Nigerian Number 1 goalkeeper.

Rufai, fondly called Dodo Mayana, died July 3rd this year and was buried on Friday at the Ikoyi cemetery in Lagos. 

The former Governor of Anambra State was pained that Rufai didn’t get a befitting honour at his funeral despite the service he rendered to Nigeria as one of the longest service goalkeepers of the senior national team.

“Rufai was a celebrated goalkeeper and former Captain of the Super Eagles. He was one of the finest players of his generation,” began Mr Obi who flew into Lagos specifically to attend the burial of Dodo Mayana.

The top politician however expressed pains at how former Nigerian sports men and women were passing to great beyond without any social welfare to take care of them in their retirements.

“I feel pain at how our nation continues to neglect those who gave their best in service. 

“Rufai was a national figure who played with dignity, and from what I gathered, he deserved better treatment. 

“This neglect of our ex internationals reflects a troubling pattern in how we treat our sportsmen and heroes,” stressed Obi who is aiming to take another shot at presiding over Nigerian affairs at the 2027 presidential election.

Obi who was accompanied by another ex international, Sylvanus Okpala, was warmly received at Rufai’s home in Amuwo Odofin by his family members  including Dodo Mayana’s younger brother Bruce, and his sisters Bosede and Dele. Earlier, Obi prayed for the repose of the soul of Rufai and encouraged the family to find strength in their grief.

Bruce Rufai responded on behalf of the family to the visit of the former Anambra Governor. “We can’t thank you enough. We felt abandoned by the authorities, but your coming here is consoling. It has lifted our spirits. We are honoured by your presence, Your Excellency.”

Earlier on Friday, at the novelty match played in Rufai’s honour by some Nigerian ex internationals at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan, former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, spoke similarly on how former Nigerian footballers are neglected.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Taribo West, condemned how the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) were not represented at Rufai’s funeral in Lagos.

According to West: “My mother passed on, I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands, I never shed tears.

“But when Peter Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples all over my body and I shed tears. And every individual I was speaking to….you know I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

“What kind of a nation is this? With this kind of example they have shown to Late Super Eagles of Nigeria super stars  like Yisa Sofoluwe, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliha, Wilfred Agbonavbare, Rashidi Yekini, etc… I will never (I repeat, never) advise my son to put his feet for this country. I will never advice him to play for Nigeria.

“Do we have a football federation in Nigeria at all? That this hero (Peter Rufai), this soldier, this football evangelist will be treated this way and his family?

“Could you imagine his family would be crying just to solicit for money within ex-players’ WhatsApp Group? That is madness for me,” concludes a very angry Taribo West in that video posted on Friday afternoon.

However, another ex international who is presiding over Lagos Legends Club of ex internationals, Waidi Akanni, told THISDAY that the NFF sent financial support to the family for the funeral. 

Akanni equally stressed that Lagos State and a few corporate also supported the family for the burial of Dodo Mayana.

But Rufai’s immediate family dismissed the claim, insisting they did not receive any money, talk less of N20million for the burial of their loved brother.

There is no official statement from the NFF on the controversy over the non representation of the federation at the burial of the former goalkeeper

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