THE family of the late former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai has announced burial arrangements for the Nigerian football legend.
Rufai, who was Super Eagles first choice for many years and won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with the team, died on July 3 after a brief illness, aged 61.
According to the programme of events released by the Rufai family today, the goalkeeping great will be buried on Friday.
Rufai, fondly nicknamed ‘Dodo Mayana’, will be laid to rest at the Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos after a funeral mass at the Catholic Church of Visitation in FESTAC Town in the morning.
On Thursday, there will be a service of songs and the presentation of Rufai’s biography at Amuwo Odofin, also in Lagos.
A thanksgiving service at the Catholic Church of Visitation in FESTAC on Sunday will round off the events in honour of the late Rufai, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in African football history.
Rufai starred for Stationery Stores and Femo Scorpions in the Nigerian league before taking his game to Europe via Dragons of Benin Republic, where he spent one year (1986 to 1987).
He then played across Europe, from Belgium to the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, featuring for clubs like Lokeren,Go Ahead Eagles, Farense and Deportivo La Coruna.
Rufai is one of Nigeria’s most capped goalkeers with 65 appeaeances for the senior national team.
He was in the Super Eagles squad and kept all four matches at the 1994 World Cup, Nigeria’s first appearance in the global competition.
Rufai was also first choice as the Super Eagles won the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia, and in the continental tournament in 1984 and 1988, when Nigeria finished as runners-up (both times).