INTERVIEW: My mum’s death was so painful it felt like carrying a house on my head, says Peter Rufai

Peter Rufai, internationally known as Dodo Mayana, is arguably the best-ever goalkeeper in the history of Nigerian football.

His legendary status continues to endure long after his retirement. Relics of his memorable career are those of a goalkeeper who was almost impenetrable, who saved lots of penalties and who was very committed to the Nigerian course.

Born on August 24, 1963, Rufai competed professionally in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, in a senior career that lasted 20 years. and resulted in two FIFA World Cup and many Africa Cup of Nations appearances.

Born in Lagos, Rufai started his career in his country, playing with Stationery Stores F.C. and Femo Scorpions. In 1986 he moved to Benin, with AS Dragons FC de l’Ouémé.

At a more professional level Rufai spent six years in Belgium, with K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen and K.S.K. Beveren, although he appeared sparingly.

In the 1993–94 season, he played 12 matches for Dutch neighbours Go Ahead Eagles, which finished 12th in the Eredivisie. The following year, he started a Portuguese adventure with S.C. Farense. In his first year, he was instrumental as the Algarve side only conceded 38 goals in 34 matches, qualifying to the UEFA Cup for the first time ever.

His solid performances earned him a transfer to La Liga, but he struggled to start for lowly Hércules CF during his stay, which eventually ended in relegation.

However, Rufai signed with established Deportivo de La Coruña the ensuing summer, backing up another African, Jacques Songo’o, for two seasons – this included keeping a clean sheet in a January 1998 home win against CD Tenerife (1–0), as the Cameroonian was suspended.

He then returned to Portugal for one final year, with modest Gil Vicente FC, also being second-choice.

In 2003, he returned to Spain, settling in the country and opening a goalkeeper’s school.

Rufai played 65 international matches for Nigeria, and represented the nation at two FIFA World Cups, always as starter: 1994 (Nigeria’s first ever appearance, where he also acted as captain) and 1998, also helping the Super Eagles win the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

On 24 July 1993, during a CAN qualifier against Ethiopia, Rufai scored his country’s last goal from a penalty kick, in a 6–0 home win.

He is the son of a tribal king in the region of Idimu. In early 1998, as his father died, he was allowed by his club (Deportivo) to return to Nigeria to discuss the succession, but he turned down the status for himself.

His oldest son, Senbaty, plays as a midfielder, having tried for Sunshine Stars in the Nigerian Premier League.

After retirement, Rufai stayed for years in his base in Europe, continued to pursue further education, and was a sports administrator in Belgium and Holland until his return home some years ago.

In this interview with TheCable, Dodo-Mayana opens up on why he went into a coma and nearly lost his life months after the painful death of his mum, contradictory stories of his relationship with his traditional ruler dad, his educational background, as well as major parts of his life and career that people don’t know.

DEATH OF HIS MUM

The news of my mum’s passing on came in 2012, in the month of October. During her last call, she said to me: “My son, how are you? When am I seeing you? If you don’t come, I am coming to your office and I will sit down in your office and I will not leave.”

And I said: “Don’t worry, I’ll see you next month.”

That month came, I was to see her on October 8 but on the 6th she passed away. And that was it.

“It was really painful and devastating. A situation I still find hard to understand. I never thought of it in this way. I spoke to her, only for me to hear that she passed on. I was really devastated. Still is.”

GOING INTO A COMA

I think it was everything. The picture was not too clear to me and still not clear to me. At that point, the news was becoming too heavy for me to bear. There are certain things I had in common with her, a mother and son rapport that we had. There was this feeling that I believed each time I see her, that we talk and laugh over. And saw it not happening anymore. It’s like you are losing everything. That picture then was too heavy to carry. It felt like I was carrying a house. My collapse then was not work-related. I have endurance. I handle work stress well. I don’t break down. I believe in myself. I am physically fit and I do all the necessary checkups all the time.

THE INSURANCE OF EDUCATION

Before I retired, I had gotten my UK teaching certificate, UEFA B licence, E Pre licence, first quarter licence, gotten my best practice workshop licence. I have gotten all these licences. I have gotten my working with aggressive youths licence. My Ethics Diploma. I have prepared myself to give back to the nation that helped me. If I have to be honest, if I want to give you something, it has to be good, better off in terms of quality because I know that I’m going to handle kids that could be my brothers, friends, family, mentors, neighbors and the likes. I find all these because I want to give back to the people that have helped me. It’s not for personal gains. It’s a way of thanking everyone in a decent way.

FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATOR IN EUROPE

I tested myself in Europe, which made the Belgium Football Federation employ me in the technical development department. I set up an academy in Europe. Also a football club, I managed it. Everything went pretty fine. I was known well in the Belgium and European football development industry. Worked with experts in Spain. Had forum of diplomacy talks. To a very large number, I was given the bid, approved, accepted to continue to do what I was doing. If after doing all these, I was receiving contracts invitation from other African countries to come and work with them. I decided it’s high time I went back to Nigeria and give back to them. So, I came back to Nigeria in 2009 to the academy but I have had the academy since 2001. I only came back in 2009 to manage it the way an academy should be run and just a year ago I handed over the academy to a team of expatriates to be running it for me.

TRADITIONAL RULER STORIES?

Yes, but I don’t have any trouble with anyone. I had good relationship with my dad; I am looking at the direction if I will really have the time to do things properly. There are some principles and I am looking at myself in having such principles. It will be very difficult for me to have it and be in footbal. I see myself on the streets with the kids, it will be difficult for me to really get me out of that atmosphere.

RIFT WITH DAD?

No! No!! No!!! Not that at all. We are good. Nice. Just that I was considering the lifestyle of being with the youths and children. You know when you hold some key position in life, like being the governor of a state, you won’t have time for the family. As a king, the people of the community look up to you and you do things to help change the community for good. If you are some kilometers away from the community and you are needed for a vital decision at that point in time and you are not there, it won’t be good. So, I don’t see myself doing it well.

PETER RUFAI ACADEMY

One thing is that I don’t do things by academy alone. I do sport development generally. I do total sport development. I travel from one country to the other to conduct seminars. I do sports development, design projects — complex design. I have a master’s degree in Business Administration, coupled with my diploma in the football departments. It’s not easy to tie me down, because I feel I have a lot to share and if I don’t speak it for and by myself, the people outside will not understand me.

For that reason, I have been going from place to place. I have been receiving mails to give motivational talks, give seminars, design competitions for youths, to see the challenges the youths in a particular environment have and come up with a design that will be suitable for such an environment and its youths. These are what I do on the expertise level. I travel abroad, do the same thing. Doing all these things gives me a lot of joy.

SERVING NIGERIA

Anytime that I have an opportunity for a Nigeria-specific job, of course, I will do it. I’ll do it with all hands; I’ll grab it. The bottom line, I believe when the time comes I will get to where I am still needed.

DEALING WITH ADMIRERS

One good thing about admirers is that they admire you for what you do. I appreciate that. It keeps you going because you know that people appreciate you. It gives you that extra energy/vitamins to keep you doing what you are doing. It’s not everyone that will like you or what you are doing. Some will like and appreciate your style while some won’t. For those that love love my style, those that appreciate and admire me, I keep using their progression of admiration to give myself that extra energy to keep going. So, every time I come across them, I thank them for their support.