Former Nigeria stars Peter Rufai and
Clement Temile and some other ex-players on Wednesday paid a visit to
former Stationery
Stores captain, Yomi Peters, on his sickbed, at the
General Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.
The others are Segun Oguns, Ikechukwu Ewenzor and ex-Super Falcons player, Shola Otis.
Peters,
an ex-international, who represented Nigeria in the 1970s, was
diagnosed with gastric tumour by doctors last week at the General
Hospital and has been battling to stay alive for about two weeks.
Despite
his contributions to the game as a player and coach in Lagos State, the
74-year-old Peters has been left to his fate at the hospital. Our
correspondent learnt that the Stores legend has been unable to pay his
bills and may be held back by officials of the hospital, if he fails to
pay the bills after treatment.
Temile,
who led the ex-players, consoled Peters, adding that the group was
behind him and would visit him again on Friday to render some assistance
to him.
“What happened to Peters can
happen to anybody. This is the time for us to know that things should be
done for people like this. He shouldn’t be taking care of himself. We
should have a union that should be responsible for ex-players who have
attained certain ages and that is why we came to see him. I am strong
today, but tomorrow, I may be in his position too. That is why we are
giving him the support,” Temile said.
Rufai
said, “There should be a body of ex-players to take care of situations
like this. We might also pass through situations like this. We have
colleagues who are down with stroke and can no longer walk. This man has
done so much for a lot of players and I am part of them. He gave his
time to the nation. I call on Nigerians and government to hurry and help
him before it’s too late.”
Peters,
who barely managed to speak with our correspondent, said, “My situation
has improved because if it was last week, I wouldn’t have been able to
talk to you. I was diagnosed with gastric tumour and they operated me
and we have been going around to find the money for the surgery and
series of tests I have been undergoing.”
Oguns
commended the hospital for the improved state of Peters but slammed the
Lagos State Government for leaving Peters to his fate.
“We
are impressed with the hospital and what they are doing. He (Peters)
has vastly improved unlike when I first came with Shuaibu Amodu to greet
him days earlier,” Oguns said.
“But
it is surprising and embarrassing that no official of Lagos State have
visited him. It’s not nice news to hear and it’s very discouraging.”
Source:Punch Newspaper
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