- Says “these players made the nation proud in their days. They deserve our attention.”
The 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Thursday paid a sympathy visit to the former Super Eagles winger, Tijiani Babangida, who was involved in a fatal motor accident last month.
The 50-year-old former national player, who also played for Ajax football Club of Holland, broke his right leg in the accident that claimed the lives of his son and junior brother, Ibrahim Babangida.
The late Ibrahim played for Nigeria in the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup winning team.
Tijiani’s wife, who was also involved in the accident, is seriously injured.
Speaking after the visit, the former Anambra state Governor said: “They made the nation proud. They made us happy with their talents. And in times like this, they deserve our sympathy and attention. I came to commensurate with him for the wound, for the lost ones, for the trauma and to show him that he is not forgotten.”
Tijiani who is still nursing the injured leg, told Obi that he lost his brother and his son while his wife is still seriously in pain from the ugly accident.
Tijiani, who is the President of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, told Obi how help has been coming to him through his former colleagues and club in Holland, the Ajax football club.
The Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist and the General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Babayero, who was with Tijiani when Obi visited, thanked him for the pleasant visit and said such a gesture is necessary to encourage the ex-player.
According to the statement on the visit by Obi’s Spokesperson, Dr Yunusa Tanko, Babayero thanked the Labour Party flag bearer for who he is and what he has achieved in trying to make society better.
