West, Lagos, Nigeria – E no sweet for the heart as Taribo West, the former Super Eagles defender, don run mouth on how dem dey treat late football star Peter Rufai. E gree talk say e dey heartbroken say Rufai family need to beg for money to give am better burial. As he dey talk this at Rufai’s burial rites, na so the wahala wey don dey ground unfold.
Taribo no hold back as e lash out at both the Nigerian government and our football authorities, accusing dem of forgetting our legends when dem dey need help pass. “How family go dey cry and beg for cash just to bury our hero? Na madness be dat!” na wetin Taribo yan. You sabi how we dey vex when dem treat our own like trash? (No be joke o!)
The ex-international wey don see better days for football, describe how e dey feel say Rufai was a true soldier and ambassador for our football. “I felt like say my heart dey break. When Rufai died, I shed tears, unlike when my own parents pass away. That na serious thing!” Taribo talk, as tears roll for him cheeks. E come dey ask, “What kind of nation we be?” (Chai! E really dey pain am.)
He no just stop for there; Taribo also call out Lagos State and NFF, say dem just park the burden on Rufai family alone. “How dem go call this one fair treatment? Dem just drop the whole wahala on the family. I go just dey look,” he quipped. E even vow say e no go advise even him pikin to play for Nigeria again. Na serious talk o!
In him lamentation, Taribo remind us say na so many football legends don end up neglected after dem don bring glory to our country. Guys like Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha also face this kind treatment. “The way dem dey treat our legends good no…,” e continue. “What is our Football Federation doing?” E ask again, making everybody reason. (E dey baffle me too!)
Rufai, wey people sabi as ‘Dodo Mayana’, na Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations wey we take carry home the trophy, and e also lead the team for World Cup that same year. E pass away for July 2025 and the story wey dey come out e dey make people wonder how our football heroes dey face for this country.
As Taribo a dey talk, e dey share in pain with Rufai family, plus all of us wey sabi wetin e don do for our football. “For me, this na just a wake up call for us to begin treat our heroes better before their last day dey come. How many of our legends go still dey talk for us to see?” Na wetin we need to ask ourselves. (Na moment for reflection o!)
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