… Says Nigeria celebrates soldiers, abandons sports heroes
Former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has berated the Nigerian government for what he described as the consistent neglect of the nation’s football legends, lamenting that the late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, did not receive the honour he deserved in death.
Speaking emotionally at Rufai’s funeral rites in Lagos, Eguavoen described the former national team captain as a “household name” whose sacrifices for the country on the global stage should have attracted greater recognition from government and football authorities.
“Peter Rufai is too big for a name that the government and people in charge won’t just come and take over this burial. It’s so sad,” he said.
Eguavoen, who captained the Super Eagles and later served as coach, compared Rufai’s treatment to that of other football greats, including Stephen Keshi and Uche Okafor, who, according to him, were also abandoned in death.
He recalled a career-threatening injury he sustained during the Confederations Cup against Argentina, stressing that footballers, just like soldiers, put their lives on the line for the nation but are rarely recognised.
“The difference between sportsmen and military people is the gun. I almost lost my sight in that clash with Ariel Ortega, but nothing was said or done. Yet when it comes to soldiers, the government spares no effort to honour them,” he added.
Eguavoen insisted that Nigeria must urgently develop a culture of honouring its sporting icons, both in life and death, warning that many who gave their blood and sweat for the country have been forgotten.
His outburst followed similar criticisms by former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, who accused the government of abandoning Rufai during his burial.
Reacting to the backlash, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) dismissed claims of abandonment, insisting that it provided financial support for Rufai’s burial as well as that of another legend, Christian Chukwu.
In a statement, the federation said its officials attended Rufai’s funeral mass in Lagos and Chukwu’s burial rites, stressing that the NFF “stood in solidarity” with their families and honoured their legacies.
Rufai, who died in July, remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated goalkeepers, having represented the country at two World Cup tournaments and several African Cup of Nations competitions.
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