By Daniel Peters.
Peter Rufai, former Super Eagles goalkeeper fondly known as “Dodomayana,” has died at the age of 62. He passed away on Thursday morning following a prolonged illness.
Born on August 24, 1963, in Lagos, Rufai had a remarkable football career that spanned two decades across Europe. A true pioneer of Nigerian football, he played professionally in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.
Rufai began his career with Nigerian clubs Stationery Stores F.C. and Femo Scorpions before moving to Benin Republic in 1986 to join AS Dragons FC de l’Ouémé. His European journey took off in Belgium, where he played for K.S.C. Lokeren and K.S.K. Beveren, although with limited appearances.
In the 1993–94 season, he joined Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Eredivisie, making 12 appearances. The following year, he moved to Portugal’s S.C. Farense, where he delivered standout performances, helping the club qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time in its history.
Rufai later moved to Spain’s La Liga, joining Hércules CF. Though he struggled for playtime, he was signed by Deportivo de La Coruña, serving as a backup to Cameroonian international Jacques Songo’o. One of his notable moments came in January 1998 when he kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory over CD Tenerife.
He returned to Portugal for one final season with Gil Vicente FC before retiring and settling in Spain in 2003, where he opened a goalkeeper academy.
On the international stage, Rufai was a stalwart for Nigeria, earning 65 caps. He featured in two FIFA World Cups (1994 and 1998) and played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s triumph at the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. Notably, he scored a penalty in a 6–0 win against Ethiopia during a CAN qualifier on July 24, 1993.
A prince by birth, Rufai was the son of a traditional ruler from Idimu. After his father’s death in 1998, he returned to Nigeria to discuss succession but declined the kingship in favor of his football career.
Rufai is survived by his children, including his son, Senbaty, a midfielder who once tried out for Sunshine Stars F.C. in the Nigeria Premier League.
His death marks the passing of not just a football legend but a symbol of Nigerian sports pride on the global stage.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
