Ex-International, Taribo West, managed to use the burial of legendary goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, to get in the news. Attending the wake-keeping service of his late colleague, he bitterly complained about the treatment of former sports stars by the country, wondering why former colleagues rather than the Govt, are being asked to contribute funds for his burial.
It is not a new protest. This happens pretty much anytime a former star runs into hard times or departs this “sinful world”. The country is dragged through the mud, with allegations of hero abandonment.
But devoid of sentiments and the perennial complaint about how the country is managed, it is hard to find credibility in these protests. Infact, it speaks to a culture of entitlement and planlessness that affects so many in the country.
Take Taribo. His generation of footballers (the 1994 Super Eagles) were celebrated and well paid – by their clubs and by the country. Even after the end of their playing days, they often picked up plum coaching and sports administration jobs.
Of the 23 players in the Super Eagles team to USA 1994, more than half of them ended up in coaching and management at various national and international levels. Want names? Keshi, Finidi, Amunike, Agu, Adepoju, Oliseh, Siasia, Eguavoen, Amokachie, Emenalo, Iroha etc. Some, like Victor Ikpeba and Efan Ekoku, found lucrative media jobs. Another member, JayJay Okocha, has pretty much lived on well-paid endorsements for almost 2 decades.
Yet anytime one of them runs into hard times, we start hearing the sad song of abandonment. Pray, abandoned by who? When it was all good and dandy, what did they use their resources for? What is the country supposed to be doing for them? Keep paying them salaries?
Taribo’s tirade was embarrassing. What sort of entitlement mentality is that? The family of your late colleague reached out and you are wailing? He even lied that Stephen Keshi was abandoned. The same Keshi that was Manager of Togo, Mali and Nigeria? The same Keshi that was given an official burial by Delta State who even named its newly constructed stadium after him? Bald-faced lies!
The people who should feel abandoned are the millions who spend their productive lives working in the public and armed services. Many come out with little to show for it and struggle to keep going after. They are the ones we should focus on – by getting the pension system right, by ensuring they have living wages that give them the chance to save something for the rainy day, by having social services that can cater for their many needs including health.
We love our heroes. We respect them. But we do not want heroes who feel entitled, who feel that the country should continue to pay for their foibles after they frittered their golden chances to plan for their future.
God bless Nigeria!