All is set for the final burial rites for former Nigeria goalkeeper and skipper, Prince Peter Rufai popularly known as Dodo Mayana, on Thursday 21st August and Friday 22nd August in Lagos.
On Thursday, there will be a wake-keep for the departed flamboyant goalkeeper at the Raji Rasaki Estate field in Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos from 4pm-7pm. On Friday, a funeral mass will hold at the Catholic Church of Visitation situated at First Avenue, Festac Town, before his body will be at the Ikoyi Cemetery.
A thanksgiving mass has been scheduled for the Catholic Church of Visitation in Festac Town on Sunday, 24th August.
The final burial rites for Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper and on-field captain to her first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals, USA ’94, has stirred memories of those who kept goal for Nigeria in the past but have now passed on.
The list includes Sam Ibiam, who one of the two goalkeepers in the first-ever Nigeria National Team put together in 1949, as well as Isaac Akioye (the other goalkeeper in that team) who later became the Director of the National Sports Commission in the 1970s.
There have also been Olu Onagoruwa, who later became a lawyer and served as the country’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice; Emmanuel Omiunu, who was also a top sports administrator after his playing days; Godwin Ezekwe; Clement Andie and; Lati Gomez.
Only last year, goalkeeper Christian Obi (whose heroics won Nigeria the bronze medals of the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship (now FIFA U20 World Cup) in then USSR and also won caps for the Super Eagles, died in an auto accident while travelling with a contingent of Heartland FC to an official assignment.
