NFF Under Fire for Alleged Neglect of Super Eagles Legend Peter Rufai Before His Death

• Outrage has erupted as a photo of Peter Rufai before his death triggers accusations of neglect from the NFF and the government
• Former teammates and public figures have criticised Nigeria’s treatment of sporting legends like Rufai
• Rufai enjoyed a stellar international career with the Super Eagles, earning 65 caps between 1983 and 1998

The football world is mourning the loss of one of Nigeria’s most iconic goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, who passed away on Thursday, July 3, at the age of 61 after a brief illness.

Known around the world as “Dodo Mayana,” Rufai was a crucial part of Nigeria’s golden generation of the 1990s.

According to the BBC, he famously led the Super Eagles to victory at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and played in Nigeria’s first-ever World Cup appearance the same year in the USA.

However, his death has stirred a fresh wave of criticism against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Federal Government following the circulation of a heartbreaking image believed to be one of the last taken before his passing.

Many Nigerians, including former footballers and celebrities, have voiced anger over what they describe as the long-standing neglect of the nation’s sports legends.

Despite his remarkable contribution to Nigerian football, Rufai reportedly received little official support during his illness, and now, in death, tributes have flooded in, too little, too late, many say.

Public outcry over neglect of national heroes

Former Super Eagles midfielder Etim Esin did not hold back in condemning the government’s lack of support.

According to Punch, the former Nigerian midfielder slammed the government and football body for abandoning national heroes like Peter Rufai.

“Someone will struggle for Nigeria, play for Nigeria, and what will it reward you with? Depression, frustration. What was the situation that the government could not help him?

“They say he was hospitalised, what sickness couldn’t have been diagnosed and treated? This is a great loss, and it shouldn’t be until someone dies that we celebrate and remember them. So sad to lose ‘Dodo Mayana’ this way.”

Comedian Bovi Ugboma also joined the conversation, expressing dismay at how legends are often honoured only after their passing.

“Rufai was an icon of Nigerian football... It’s heartbreaking that national heroes like him often pass away quietly, uncelebrated and forgotten by the systems they gave their all to.

“These men deserved far more honour and appreciation while they were alive. Our country’s football legends deserve better.”

He referenced the belated housing allocation to the 1994 AFCON-winning squad, a promise fulfilled only in 2024, 30 years after it was made.

To many, it is a sign of a deep-seated problem in the way Nigeria treats its former heroes.

The state of Rufai’s house before his death

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that condolences poured in for the legendary goalkeeper Rufai from the Nigerian football community, many of whom remembered him for his skills in goal and cheerfulness.

As seen in a video going viral on TikTok, the situation at the former player’s house was calm after his death, with people filling the condolence book.

Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng