Babangida Wings It With Speed & Panache

BY IKENWA ASHIBUOGWU NNABUOGOR

Tijani Babangida had been flying down the wings for Niger Tornadoes with so much ease and it was just a matter of time before his chance would come with the cadet team.

Surprisingly, the Golden Eaglets’ and Flying Eagles’ radars didn’t find this exciting winger but the winds of the U-23 Olympics team blew him good for him to fly into the Super Eagles’ team without hitches.

The setting was the 1991 All-African Games in Cairo, Egypt, and Babangida would play the games of his life to keep many heads ringing.

The Southern Africans from Zimbabwe would never forget what the oily barbecue this speedy winger made of them in the group game after his killer role inspired an emphatic 8-1 annihilation. The whole of Cairo stood up for this unsong Tornadoes’ winger that spectators, even the commentators expected more.

Babangida returned home with the Bronze medal after Cameroon stole the blazing team’s blackbox and stopped them in the semis.

Babangida had his tails up after all and the next phase was Super Eagles as Dutch coach Clemens Westerhof watched keenly.

But first his Euro professional career had to be sorted and pronto, Westerhof’s native Holland came extending a hand. Babangida would never disappoint and VVV Venlo welcomed the budding star with open arms.

From J5 to the Super Veloce Jota version of the Lamborghini Aventador, Babangida started proving he could compete at Formula One on foot in Holland. Such was the brand new lightning speed Babangida brought to Holland that attracted more admirers and when those made a weekly affair, his stocks at lowly VVV rose astronomically.

From VVV Venlo, to Roda JC Kerkrade, Babangida forced the front doors of Ajax Amsterdam wide open as manager Louis van Gaal took his admiration further by bringing him to the Johan Cruijff Arena.

Finidi George had nothing to prove again at Ajax and the Spanish sun combined to complete the Real Betis lure, Babangida gladly flew into his highly revered right wing.

From Finidi to Babangida, Ajax faithful were assured nothing was missing in the explosive right wing. Babangida brought his roses along to leave enduring smiles on the face of van Gaal.

Back home, Westerhof couldn’t take it anymore, his massive love for Babangida had spread like wild fires all over Nigeria. But Finidi had it covered for the impressive Dutchgerian but his flaming admiration for the “Speedy Gonzalez” almost had him force Babangida into the US’94 World Cup team.

Babangida’s debut for the Super Eagles finally came against Romania and later, Georgia, as Westerhof rounded off his pre-World Cup preparations as Eagles set to land in the USA.

Westerhof left without the broken Eagles’ wings, he found the Dutch radar instead and his assistant, Johannes Bonfrere, took over and took Babangida along.

Babangida had been showing keepers the way to the net in regular fashion for Roda JC and later, Ajax, to leave sweet water in the mouth of Bonfrere.

Bonfrere bowed to a Babangida sweet surrender despite the massive relevance of Finidi on the Eagles’ right wing who was still manufacturing pin point crosses for Eagles.

Bonfrere’s headache interestingly beautiful as his house accommodated two of the world’s best right wingers, but the Dutch gaffer enjoyed it while it lasted.

Soon, the Atlanta’96 Olympics were around the corner and Finidi cut out by age limitations, Bonfrere ran along with Babangida. The fond memories left by the speedster in the historic all-conquering Dream Team are still fresh.

Fast forward to the AFCON co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana, first of it’s kind in Africa, Bonfrere back in the saddle after a departure, had a sweet team to sleaze.

Babangida’s two sweet goals for his country against South Africa in the semis haven’t been forgotten by the Nigerian faithful. Babangida’s back foot was a myth in the tournament that Eagles were sadly edged by bitter rivals Cameroon in the lottery of penalties just before their bewildered fans in Lagos.

Back at Ajax, Babangida’s long term association was never the same as van Gaal defected to Barcelona. Chances were few and far between and loan spells at Genclerbiligi in Turkey and back in Holland, at Vitesse Arnhem hardly had the blistering signature of the speedster.

Saudi Arabia and later China called but Babangida was fast heading home to Kaduna where his amazing skills were honed.

That was how the story went for Babangida whose speed, goals, assists, dribbles and trickery brought him massive fame and acceptance.