Former Nigerian international goalkeeper Peter Rufai has passed away at the age of 61.
His death was confirmed on Thursday, July 3, 2025, by a senior Lagos State Government official, though his family has yet to make an official statement.
According to Radio Nigeria, Rufai died on Thursday morning after battling a prolonged illness that had kept him out of the public eye in recent months.
Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest goalkeepers, Rufai earned 65 caps for the Super Eagles. He played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments and was a key member of the squad that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
During his club career, he featured for both local and international teams, including Nigeria’s Stationery Stores and the Netherlands’ Go Ahead Eagles. Known for his calmness and leadership, Rufai was a pivotal figure in Nigerian football throughout the 1990s.
Before his death, Rufai had raised concerns about a cyberattack on his personal data in June. He reported that his private and corporate information, including his Nigerian passport, had been compromised. He urged authorities and the public to remain cautious and expressed faith in law enforcement to resolve the issue.
Rufai’s legacy as a football icon and his contributions to Nigerian sports remain unforgettable.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
