Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has opened up about the harsh realities of his early life growing up in Olusosun, a Lagos slum. In an interview with Players’ Tribune, the 27-year-old striker shared memories of extreme poverty that shaped his resilience and determination.
Osimhen revealed that, at age 12, he witnessed his landlord disconnect the electricity in their single-room apartment due to unpaid bills. At the time, his father had lost his driving job following the death of Osimhen’s mother and had to wash dishes in a police department kitchen to earn a modest income.
He recalled another traumatic experience when the landlord tore down part of the family’s roof, allegedly to force them out of the home. “Most families in our neighborhood made ends meet by reselling scraps from the landfill. My father was a driver when I was young. After my mom passed, he lost his job and began washing dishes at the police kitchen. It wasn’t enough to cover our rent,” Osimhen said.
He added, “I remember one night when I was about 12. The landlord had had enough and cut off our power. All seven of us were sitting in the dark, no TV, nothing. I went outside, sat next to the gutter, and just cried.”
Despite these hardships, Osimhen shared how he often gave whatever money he earned to his siblings to buy food and pay rent. “Most nights, I actually slept in the church. Our house barely had a roof. It was starting to cave in, and the landlord said, ‘OK, I’ll fix it, don’t worry.’ But when they came, they removed half the roof and never returned. I pray for everyone—but landlords, I sometimes forget them,” he joked.
Osimhen’s story highlights the extreme challenges he faced growing up in Olusosun, emphasizing his journey from adversity to becoming one of Nigeria’s top football talents.