Peter Rufai: How Nigeria Gentle Giant Became an African Goalkeeping Legend

Africa is mourning Peter Rufai, Nigeria’s gentle giant goalkeeper who inspired generations with his calm, heroic saves and enduring legacy.

Childhood memories have a way of lodging themselves deep in your heart, and for me, few are as vivid as watching the towering Nigerian goalkeeper Peter Rufai take his place between the posts.

I remember the afternoon in Nairobi when Kenya faced Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier—how his presence alone seemed to fill the entire goalmouth. Every Harambee Stars attempt on target ended in the same way: Rufai calmly collecting the ball or tipping it over with the grace of a man born to protect something precious.

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When the news broke that Rufai had died aged 61, following a prolonged illness, my mind went straight back to those matches. Those of us who watched him knew we were witnessing a master at work. Whether it was the Kenya clash, the Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1994, or the historic World Cup campaigns, he carried himself with the same quiet authority.

You could see it in his eyes—a serenity that made even the most anxious defenders feel safe.

Affectionately known as Dodo Mayana, Rufai was more than just Nigeria’s last line of defense. He was a symbol of what African football could become: fearless, dignified, and professional. He earned 65 caps over a 15-year international career, which saw Nigeria rise from continental hopefuls to global contenders. And in every game, no matter the stakes, Rufai played with a humility that belied his towering achievements.

His heroics in 1988—saving Lakhder Belloumi’s penalty in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals—and again in 1994 against Ivory Coast, are folklore now. But for me, his simplest moments were the most powerful.

Like when Kenya’s striker burst through in that tense Nairobi game and unleashed a shot destined for the corner. Rufai flew across his line, palmed it wide, and rose to his feet without a trace of celebration. It was just what he did—saving goals, saving dreams.

When Nigeria finally lifted the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, and later reached the World Cup’s last 16 in the United States, Rufai’s gloved hands were there, writing history.

A Safe Pair of Hands for a Generation

Long before he inspired millions of us across Africa, Rufai honed his craft with Stationery Stores in Lagos, where as a teenager he helped the club reach the 1981 African Cup Winners’ Cup final. That was the beginning of a remarkable journey that took him to Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal. No matter where he went, his reputation grew: a goalkeeper with superb reflexes and a calm spirit.

He was never the loudest figure on the field. Instead, his leadership radiated from a quiet center—a dignity that lifted those around him. In France ’98, he again captained Nigeria on the grandest stage, facing football’s elite and proving that African nations belonged in the global conversation.

A Farewell to Dodo Mayana

Since retiring, Rufai dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation through his goalkeeping academies in Nigeria and Spain. It is hard not to feel the ache of his passing, knowing that so much wisdom and kindness has left us. He was the type of sportsman you didn’t have to support to admire—someone whose life invited respect across borders.

Today, as I remember those Kenya–Nigeria encounters, I feel grateful that we witnessed him in his element. When Rufai stood in goal, it was as if he was holding up a mirror to the possibilities of African football. Even in defeat, you felt richer for having watched him.

Rest well, Peter Rufai. Your hands may have stopped the goals, but your spirit will never stop inspiring us.