By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Ex- Nigerian footballers are mourning the death of 1993 FIFA U-17 World winner, Ibrahim Babangida, who will be buried in Kaduna on Friday (today), after he died in a car crash, which also left his brother and ex-Super Eagles winger, Tijani Babangida, his wife, son and maid hospitalised.
Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist and General Secretary, Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Babayaro, broke the news that Babangida died in the accident, which happened along the Kaduna-Zaria road on Thursday.
Babayaro also confirmed that the deceased was taken to Kaduna on Thursday and will be laid to rest in Kaduna after Jumat prayers on Friday (today).
“As a Muslim, he will be buried according to Islamic rights tomorrow (today) after the Jumat prayer,” he said.
Another Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist, Garba Lawal, a former teammate of both Babangidas and others are also still offering prayers for the quick recovery of the remaining Babangidas in the hospital.
Lawal said, “Ibrahim Babangida and his brother Tijani Bagabgida are like my brothers. We played at club and national team levels together for years, especially, Ibrahim, we played together at the same club before he moved to Stationery Stores while I joined Julius Berger.
“I called some members of their family, no one among their sisters can say anything because of how sad it is. Our prayer is just that God should grant him eternal rest. We are also praying for Tijani’s wife, who is in critical condition, to get well soon and I think Tijani is getting better already because I spoke with him.”