Peter Rufai was more than a goalkeeper.He was a myth, an inspirational picture on the wall for misty-eyed children.
He was a tale by moonlight, and the retelling of his brilliance was almost a legendary fable. He was “Dodo Mayana”, a sight so pleasurable that one craves to see it again tomorrow and the next day.
He died on Thursday at 61, and to immortalise him, superlatives have poured instunningly onto the pages of Nigerian newspapers.
The kids who watched Peter Rufai at his awe-inspiring best never wanted to be a goalkeeper; they wanted to be Peter Rufai. He brought beauty, eccentricity and colour to what was often considered the least interesting football position.
He would leap like a deranged cat to claw out shots travelling at an impossible pace. He danced, juggled and laughed in the face of danger while everyone was soiling themselves. With his signature punk hairstyle and freckled face, Rufai was fashion, flair, and fiery passion in one.
Rufai was the safe hands behind Nigeria’s golden football generation. He was the spine. He was the foundation upon which all the successes were built. His presence calmed Stephen Keshi into being the “Big Boss”. Rashidi Yekini’s goals would be mere consolations without his brilliant saves. Rufai’s acrobatics to deny Kenneth Malitoli and Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia in the 1994 AFCON final won Nigeria the trophy as much as Emmanuel Amuneke’s brace.
In turn, Nigerians were deeply enamoured of Rufai: fans once took to the streets to protest his exclusion from the national team squad. He was respected for his service: he captained Nigeria in the country’s first-ever World Cup appearance.
Rufai was also a trailblazer: he was said to be the first Eagles goalkeeper to play professionally abroad.
(Cable )
