Shehu Sani Backs Life Insurance for Nigerian Athletes to Support Retirement
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has called on the Nigerian government to establish a life insurance scheme for Nigerian athletes who have represented the country at international tournaments.
Sani made the call in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, stressing that athletes who had served the nation deserved long-term welfare protection after retirement.
“Life insurance schemes for our Athletes who played for the National Team and represented Nigeria in World tournaments is the only way to help them when they ‘have gone out of service’”, the senator wrote.
His statement comes amid growing concerns over the welfare of retired athletes, particularly following reports of financial struggles faced by some former football stars, including ex-Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
There have been renewed conversations around the lack of structured post-career support for Nigerian sportsmen and women, many of whom have brought glory to the country but later face neglect after their playing days.
FCNN Reporters on Friday reported that former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as a consistent neglect of football icons who gave their all to the nation during their lifetime.
Eguavoen, a former national team captain and coach, lamented that many sportsmen and women who shed their blood and sweat on the global stage for Nigeria are often forgotten once their active years are over.
Speaking with deep emotion during the funeral rites of late goalkeeper Peter Rufai, Eguavoen lamented that the country has failed to honour its sporting heroes as they deserve.
Eguavoen said Rufai was more than just a footballer, describing him as a household name and one of Nigeria’s greatest goalkeepers whose contributions to the game remain unforgettable.
He compared Rufai’s treatment to that of other late football greats, including Stephen Keshi, who, according to him, were also not properly celebrated at the end of their lives.
The ex-international footballer said it was the same thing when Keshi was buried many years ago.
Eguavoen recalled moments from his own playing career to highlight the sacrifices made by footballers.
He recounted how he sustained a serious injury during the Confederations Cup match against Argentina, when a collision with Ariel Ortega left him bloodied and nearly blinded.
The former Super Eagles coach stressed that while military personnel are often honoured for carrying guns in defence of the nation, sportsmen and women who shed blood and sweat for Nigeria on the global stage are left unrecognised.
Eguavoen called for a cultural and institutional shift in the way Nigeria treats its athletes, insisting that deliberate structures should be put in place to honour and care for football icons, both in life and death.
Eguavoen’s remarks came in the wake of criticism from former Super Eagles defender Taribo West, who condemned the Nigerian government and football authorities for abandoning Rufai during his burial.
Rufai, who died in July, remains one of Nigeria’s most celebrated goalkeepers, having represented the country at two World Cups and numerous African Cup of Nations tournaments.
