The atmosphere was heavy with sorrow as friends, family, and former teammates gathered to bid farewell to the late Super Eagles legend, Peter Rufai. Among them stood ex-international defender Taribo West, his voice trembling with emotion and frustration as he addressed the crowd.

Draped in a simple dark agbada, the former Nigerian defender couldn’t hold back tears as he spoke about the man he once called a brother. But it wasn’t just grief that marked his words it was anger and heartbreak over the way Nigerian football legends are forgotten.

“I will never advise even my son to put his feet in this country,” Taribo said bitterly, his voice echoing across the quiet graveyard. “Look how we treat our heroes.”

The passing of Peter Rufai once a proud guardian of Nigeria’s goalpost has once again shone a light on a painful truth: too many of Nigeria’s football greats are celebrated only in death, long after the cheers have faded and the cameras stopped rolling.

Taribo’s outburst wasn’t just an emotional reaction; it was a cry for change, a desperate plea for dignity and respect for those who gave everything for the nation’s pride.

As the final prayers were said and the casket lowered, the silence that followed was not just for Peter Rufai it was for every forgotten hero.