At the wake event for the late Nigerian football icon Peter Rufai, former international Taribo West delivered an emotional and scathing critique of the Nigerian Football Federation and Lagos State authorities. Speaking among fellow football veterans, West expressed profound grief and frustration over the lack of support for Rufai’s family during their time of loss.
Visibly moved, West recounted his personal pain, noting that while he did not shed tears for the passing of his own parents, Rufai’s death left him with “goose pimples” and “tears of lamb rolling through my cheeks.” He decried the neglect of Rufai’s family, who have been forced to solicit funds from private groups to cover expenses. “Could you imagine that the family will be crying just to solicit within our groups to ask for money? That is madness,” West said.
West also lambasted the Nigerian Football Association and Lagos State for failing to honor Rufai’s legacy, drawing parallels to other football heroes like Shofoluwe, Stephen Keshi, Thompson Oliha, and Rashidi Yekini, whose contributions, he claimed, were similarly disregarded. “What kind of nation is this?” he questioned, adding, “I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send him out!”
Calling Rufai a “hero,” “soldier,” and “football evangelist,” West expressed dismay at the lack of institutional support, questioning whether Nigeria even has a functioning football federation or association. Overwhelmed, he abruptly ended his remarks, stating, “Please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart out.”
