Former Super Eagles winger Tijani Babangida has spoken publicly for the first time about the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of his younger brother and one-year-old son earlier this year.
Babangida’s emotional revelations came in a documentary released on Thursday by Ajax Amsterdam, his former club.
On May 9, 2024, Babangida was travelling with his younger brother Ibrahim, his wife, their son Fadil and their maid along the Kaduna-Zaria highway when their vehicle was involved in a fatal crash. Ibrahim died on the spot while Fadil succumbed to his injuries days later.
Babangida’s wife lost an eye and required facial reconstruction surgery while the maid sustained a fractured leg. Babangida himself suffered injuries to his legs and knees.
Babangida described the pain and emotional toll of losing his loved ones, stating, “I think I will live with this trauma for the rest of my life. It is hard to forget about it and move on when you suddenly lose your entire family.”
The former footballer admitted, “I can’t bear looking at photos and videos of my son.”
His wife, a well-known actress in Northern Nigeria, faces even greater challenges, having lost both her memory of their son and the ability to recall his name.
“It is even harder for my wife. She is an actress in Nigeria, famous in the northern part of the country. After being married a year, we had a baby. And suddenly, he was gone.
“And my brother, who always joined me when I travelled. For me, I only injured my legs and knees. I had to assist my wife. That’s why I came here with my wife to get proper medical treatment.
“After three months in the Netherlands, I was finally able to tell her that our child was in the car when the accident took place. She started (to) ask about his name. She can’t remember anything about him,” he said.
