30/08/2025
Taribo West: The Myth of Neglect
I struggle to believe that Taribo West is unaware that he and his peers belong to a tiny, privileged circle of Nigerians who enjoyed rewards far beyond the reach of the average citizen. Football, for those who rise to the top, is one of the most lucrative careers on earth. It’s a profession whose returns ordinary Nigerians can only dream about. To then expect such individuals to become government-sponsored charity cases, pampered in ways that soldiers risking their lives for the country are not, is unreasonable and insulting.
West’s claim of neglect on behalf of the late Peter Rufai’s family is less a critique of government than an indictment of himself and his fellow footballers. They belong to the same social network and had every means to shoulder the cost of their colleague’s funeral and even extend long-term support to his family. How much, really, does it cost to organise a decent burial? This is an expense that three players from the USA ’94 or France ’98 squads could cover. That he would pass this responsibility to the government, while everyday Nigerians scr**e for survival, only betrays his self-centredness and detachment from reality.
When the former English footballer Wes Brown declared bankrupt, it was his teammates, especially from Manchester United, who came to his aid. Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick offered their support, while a younger Marcus Rashford allowed him to stay in one of his properties at a reduced rate. Similarly, when Dani Alves’s life unravelled after his conviction for r**e, Lionel Messi quietly covered his bills and legal expenses. This is the privilege of belonging to such a fraternity of wealth, where colleagues are affluent enough to buy islands, yet grounded enough to stand by each other.
Few careers provide a safety net as rich as that of footballers. Peter Rufai represented Nigeria admirably on the global stage, but he was also compensated in ways that doctors, teachers, and military officers could never dream of. Footballers are further privileged by their celebrity status, which gives them opportunities to expand their wealth into business, endorsements, and investments, even years after leaving office.
Only a few weeks ago, the federal government awarded the Super Falcons and D’Tigress players one hundred thousand dollars each, along with houses in Abuja, for their victories. For the average Nigerian, such a windfall would alter the trajectory of their lives forever. Yet, with the mindset Taribo West projects in his trending interview, one could still return years later seeking another bailout. No nation under the sun pays for the wealth management problems of its star athletes.
~ Gimba Kakanda
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