A Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, says his son will not represent Nigeria at the national level.
He spoke emotionally during the funeral of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
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.
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He passed away in July 2025.
In a video posted by News Central, West accused both the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of abandoning the family during their time of need.
Recalling the raw emotion he felt at Rufai’s passing, West said he was physically overwhelmed—experiencing goosebumps and tears—unlike when his own parents died.
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, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?
“With this kind of example, 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 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 out.”