Adefemi, Promise and other Nigerian footballers who died too soon

• The Nigerian shot assemblage are mourning erstwhile Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who died past Thursday
• The legendary goalkeeper succumbed to his agelong conflict with unwellness and died astatine a infirmary successful Lagos of cardiac arrest
• Rufai, who won AFCON 1994 successful Tunisia, becomes the latest Nigerian player, past and present, to walk distant alternatively excessively soon

The decease of erstwhile Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who passed distant astatine a infirmary successful Lagos connected Thursday, July 3, is inactive caller successful the Nigerian shot community.

Rufai, who was a cardinal fig during Nigeria's 2nd Africa Cup of Nations triumph successful Tunisia successful 1994, died aft suffering a cardiac arrest, ending his agelong conflict with illnesses.

Peter Rufai playing for Nigeria astatine the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Photo by Tony Marshall.
Source: Getty Images

He joins the database of erstwhile Super Eagles legends who person passed distant this year, including erstwhile skipper and manager Christian Chukwu and teammate Charles Bassey.

Nigerian shot has besides mislaid immoderate of its legends, including Stephen Keshi, who was 1 of those who person won the Africa Cup of Nations arsenic a subordinate and arsenic a coach.

Legit.ng looks astatine 5 selected Nigerian footballers who died excessively soon.

Nigerian footballers who died excessively soon

1. Samuel Okwaraji

According to stories galore young Nigerians were told, the erstwhile Super Eagles prima died during India’s 99-1 triumph implicit Nigeria. According to Soccernet, helium died connected August 12, 1989, of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy during a FIFA World Cup qualifier lucifer against Angola.

2. Olubayo Adefemi

Adefemi was portion of Nigeria's squad astatine the 2005 FIFA Youth Championship, which finished 2nd down Lionel Messi’s Argentina. On April 18, 2011, helium died successful a car mishap successful Greece, wherever helium was playing for Skoda Xanthi. He was connected his mode to the airdrome to alert to Nigeria and finalise his wedding plans.

3. Abubakar Lawal

The erstwhile Nasarawa United prima was playing for Vipers SC successful Uganda earlier his death. His decease was controversial; archetypal reports claimed a motorcycle accident, but it was aboriginal confirmed that helium fell from the 3rd level of a building. Nigerians, including Ahmed Musa, called for an probe into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Olubayo Adefemi playing against Lionel Messi astatine the 2008 Olympics final. Photo by Mark Dadswell.
Source: Getty Images

4. Gift Atulewa

Atulewa was besides a subordinate of Nigeria's U20 squad successful 2005 and spent each of his nine vocation successful Nigeria astatine Bayelsa United, Ocean Boys and Wikki Tourists. He died successful November 2024 astatine 38 from hypertension complications, a period aft his woman died of illness.

5. Isaac Promise

Another subordinate of the Flying Eagles astatine Holland 2005. He besides played for the Dream Team astatine the Beijing 2008 Olympics. He died of bosom onslaught successful the United States successful 2019 during his clip with USL nine Austin Bold.

Okpara rallies ex-internationals aft Rufai's death

Legit.ng reported that Godwin Okpara rallied ex-internationals to travel retired successful immoderate concern and question assistance erstwhile needed, arsenic successful the lawsuit of Henry Nwosu.

The erstwhile Paris Saint-Germain prima indirectly blamed Rufai for his demise arsenic helium was not unfastened astir his condition, which yet outgo him his life.

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Source: Legit.ng