BABANGIDA OPENS UP ON GRIEF AFTER LOSING FAMILY IN CAR CRASH
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Former Super Eagles forward Tijani Babaginda has opened up about the tragic loss of his family in a car accident that occurred in May 2024.
Babangida was travelling on May 9 with his younger brother, Ibrahim, as well as his wife, son, and maid when the tragic car accident occurred along the Kaduna-Zaria highway.
Ibrahim, a member of the 1993 FIFA Under-17 World Cup-winning squad, died on the spot, while his one-year-old son, Fadil, passed away a few days later. Babangida’s wife lost an eye and required facial reconstruction surgery, while the maid suffered a fractured leg.
In an emotional documentary released on Thursday by his former club, Ajax, Babaginda, fondly called ‘Baba’ by former teammates and fans, said he will live with the trauma for the rest of his life.
“This is a nightmare. 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,” Babangida said.
He shared the challenges of coming to terms with the loss of his son and supporting his wife through her recovery:
“This is my first time talking about the accident because I couldn’t do it. I can’t bear looking at photos and videos of my son.
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“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 travelled with me, also to the Netherlands, and also 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. it’s hard.
“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. She’s so strong that she managed to survive. The impact was so heavy that she lost one eye and half of her face; they have to reconstruct it totally.”
Babaginda, in the documentary, also spoke with his former manager, Luis Van Gaal, and teammates, revealing the support he has received since he moved to the Netherlands for treatment.
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