Widow of Stationery Stores legendary player, Yomi Peters, shares with TAIWO ALIMI the last moments of her late husband.
Stationery Stores legend, Yomi Peters, breathed his last at precisely 8.15am last Wednesday. He died at the Emergency Ward of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). However, before he passed on, the bedridden former football star, who was in and out of coma, spoke to his wife, Rhoda Oluwatoyin Peters, and the subject was largely football; same sport that brought him fame. Simply put, Peters lived for football and died for it.
Mrs Peters, who was by his side – day-and night – during Peters’ final journey on earth, revealed that her husband’s last message dwelt more on football and nothing else.
She noted that Peters last words and gesture were mostly about the sport that made him famous; football.
“Whenever he came out of coma and talked to me, he would ask me to step aside as he was watching football,” she said with her voice filled with emotion. “He would then gesticulate as if he was in goal catching ball. He would talk about football and the great moments in his career. He loved football and it was on his mind until the very end of his death.”
It would not be wrong to say that in death, the only thing on Peters’ mind was football and he hung on to its memories to the very end.
She later relayed some of the ex-goalkeeper’s last messages to some ex-footballers led by former ACB defender and erstwhile chairman of Surulere Local Government, Tajudeen Ajide.
The group played a key role in helping Peters to LASUTH, who was suffering from extreme case of gastric tumour when his health deteriorated three weeks ago. They had taken care of his medical bill and daily attended to meet his urgent needs.
After passing on his last words, Rhoda said Peters last moment was peaceful, as he transited quietly.
“He came out of coma early morning of Wednesday and spoke with me. Then, he was gone. If he was in pain, he did not show it. He died peacefully,” recalled the second wife of the deceased.
“He said he would have been happy if his colleagues were by his death bed, but since they were not there I should tell them that they must work hard to turn around the future of the game.” He said many ex-footballers are suffering today because they didn’t plan for their future well. He said most just played the game and enjoyed the moments without planning adequately for life after football,” she explained.
Not done, Peters reinforced the importance of unity among his colleagues. “Baba also said players must come together as one united front so as to take care of themselves when they are no longer active. He said that would also make them to fight for football offices and readdress football policies that do not suit footballers. As soon as ‘Baba’ passed on I called (Tajudeen) Ajide and passed on his message,” she added.
Mrs Peters, who has three children for the late goalkeeper, recounted how a perceived harmless ulcer took the life of her husband. “My husband hardly falls sick, so when two years ago he started feeling pains in his stomach, we thought it was ulcer. We went to a clinic near our home in Ikate (a suburb of Lagos). He was given medication but the pain did not abate.”
We were referred to the LASUTH where he was diagnosed with gastric tumour and we were told he must undergo an operation to save his life. Ajide and others came to our aid and the operation was carried out successfully. We felt everything was okay until last week when his condition became worse and we were informed he had to undergo chemotherapy because the gastric tumour had become cancerous.”
Peters did not leave the hospital alive as he died last Wednesday at 74.
Sadly, Peters’ death is coming at a period when the issues on sorry state of ex-footballers are on the front burner.
Last Monday at the Annual General Meeting of Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria (APFON), the issue was discussed extensively with stakeholders urging members to speak with one voice to arrest the spate of ill health and economic challenges ravaging ex-footballers.
Same theme was echoed at the final of the 2014 Federation Cup, (popularly known as FA Cup), where legends of the championships, as Peters, were honoured last Sunday.
Peters’ contribution to football, especially in Lagos State, is as legendary as his personality. He played in 1974 Challenge Cup (FA Cup) final for the defunct Stationery Stores and won the shield in 1990 with the same club as Team Manager. He was also board member of the Lagos Divisional Football Association (LDFA).
According to Ajide, Peters and some other star players attracted kids of his era to football. “It is because of players like Peters that some of us decided to play football when we were kids growing up in Lagos. He was a staunch and die-hard Stores’ player. He played, coached and till his dying day supported Stores. When you are with Peters, there is no dull moment because he was jovial and friendly.
“Peters was a sportsman to the core, and more. He was principled, dogged in his playing days and father to the younger footballers.”
