Peter Rufai's close friend has opened up on how the goalkeeper rejected help from a popular Nigerian pastor concerning his health, which unfortunately ended his life.

Rufai sadly passed away after a prolonged battle with illness after suffering cardiac arrest on the morning of Thursday, July 3 and later died at a hospital in Lagos.

The Nigerian football community, including fans, media and former teammates, came together to mourn the legendary goalkeeper and shared fond memories of him.

He was the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play at a FIFA World Cup in 1994, which the Super Eagles qualified for the first time and won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.

According to Cable NG, he was the first Nigerian goalkeeper to play professionally abroad and had spells at different clubs in Benin Republic, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

A close friend of Rufai and a former Stationery Stores midfielder, Godwin Obinyan, has mourned the passing of his friend and claimed things could have turned out differently.

He described Rufai as more than just a teammate, but a friend and a brother and revealed he was his best man at his wedding, having played a key role in him marrying his wife.

“It was heartbreaking when I heard the news. We were incredibly close. We did everything together—trained, ate, even slept in each other’s homes. Peter wasn’t just a teammate; he was a brother,” Obiyan told Sports 247.

Obinyan claimed that Rufai suffered in silence as he refused to seek help and even distanced himself from those trying to help.

He shared an account when popular Nigerian pastor and former vice presidential aspirant Tunde Bakare tried to help, but Rufai cut contact with him.

“Pastor Bakare saw him after service and invited him into a private room. He sensed something was wrong and immediately arranged to take him to the hospital,” Obinyan said.

“Doctors worked on him for six to eight hours. That was the last we heard from Peter—his phone stopped ringing. No one could reach him after that day.

“He carried a lot in silence. He was cheerful in public, always laughing, but he never shared his problems. That was who he was.”

The family are yet to share details of the final respect for the late goalkeeper, though they opened a condolence book at his house in Lagos.

Legit.ng previously reported that Godwin Okpara spoke about Rufai after the legendary Super Eagles defender passed away due to cardiac arrest on Thursday, July 3.

Okpara stylishly blamed the former Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper for his situation, claiming he never came out to let anyone know what he was going through.

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Source: Legit.ng