Tijani Babangida has spoken out for the first time since losing his brother and son in a car accident seven months ago.
The former Super Eagles winger’s brother Ibrahim, also a former footballer, and one-year-old son Fadil were killed in the tragic crash in Kaduna in May.
Babaginda himself and his wife Maryam sustained serious injuries and required surgeries.
Indeed, the wife lost an eye, required reconstructive surgery on her face, and is still undergoing costly medical care in the Netherlands.
In a documentary released by Babangida’s former club Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday, the former Nigeria international narrated how tough it has been for him and his family since the accident.
“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 says in Dutch in the documentary, in which Ajax attached a donation link.
“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.
“It is even harder for my wife. She is an actress in Nigeria, famous in the northern part of the country (known as Maryam Waziri in Kannywood). 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.”
Babangida, who played for Dutch clubs Roda JC and VVV Venlo before joining Ajax in 1996, admitted that he did not have Dutch insurance, which is why he has sought financial assistance in taking care of his stricken wife’s high medical costs.
The 51-year-old featured for Ajax, the most successful club in the Netherlands, from 1996 to 2003 with loan spells in between, winning the Dutch title in 1997/1998 and the Cup in 1997/1998 and 1998/1999.
When asked what he hoped for in the future, the 1996 Olympics gold medallist with Nigeria’s ‘Dream Team’ said: “I just want to enjoy a stress-free life. I hope everything goes well with my wife. I hope she will be able to get her life back.
“I simply want to live a simple life, just like everyone else wants.”
Apart from Ajax, the Dutch giants’ former coach Luis Van Gaal and some of his former teammates, including Huub Stevens, are rallying round Babangida, with a former colleague providing him and his wife accommodation in a resort.
