Former Super Eagles winger, Tijjani Babangida, has broken his silence on the harrowing loss of his family in a tragic car accident that occurred earlier in 2024.
The emotional revelation was made in a documentary released by Ajax Amsterdam, the Dutch club where Babangida spent seven memorable years of his football career.
Naija News recalls that the fateful accident took place on May 9 along the Kaduna-Zaria highway.
Babangida was travelling with his younger brother, Ibrahim, his wife, their one-year-old son, Fadil, and a domestic staff member.
The crash claimed the lives of Ibrahim, who died on the spot, and Fadil, who succumbed to his injuries days later.
Babangida’s wife sustained severe facial injuries, resulting in the loss of one eye and requiring reconstructive surgery, while the maid suffered a fractured leg.
Opening up about the incident, Babangida admitted that the pain and trauma are a permanent part of his life.
“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 Babangida said.
This was Babangida’s first public statement about the accident, revealing the deep emotional toll it had on him and his wife.
“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. 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,” Babangida stated.
He also shared the emotional burden of breaking the devastating news to his wife, who had suffered memory loss following the accident.
“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 starting [to] ask about his name. She can’t remember anything about him,” Babangida recounted with visible anguish.
Despite sustaining injuries to his legs and knees, Babangida’s primary focus was supporting his wife through her treatment and recovery.
He revealed that they had to travel to the Netherlands for advanced medical attention.
The documentary, which featured conversations with former Ajax coach Louis van Gaal and other associates from the Netherlands, shed light on Babangida’s resilience and the emotional weight of his journey toward healing.