Victor Osimhen opens up on poverty, Lagos landlord ordeal in Olusosun slum

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has spoken candidly about the severe hardship he endured as a child growing up in the Olusosun area of Lagos.

In a powerful interview with The Players' Tribune, the Super Eagles forward reflected on life in a struggling household where survival was a daily battle.

He said, “Most of the families in our neighbourhood resold scraps from the landfill, but my father was a driver when I was little. After my mom died, he lost his job. There was not enough money to pay our rent.”

“Our house barely had a roof. It was starting to cave in. The landlord promised to fix it, but instead, he sent people who removed half of the roof and never came back.

“I remember one night when I was about 12, the landlord had enough. He cut off the power to our apartment. We were sitting in the dark in one room, all 7 of us, no TV. Nothing.”

The emotional toll of that night remains vivid in his memory. “I went outside, and I sat down next to this gutter, literally, a gutter, and I started crying,” he said.

Osimhen also described how he tried to contribute to the family’s survival from a young age, handing over whatever small earnings he could make to support his siblings.

“I would give my money to my brothers and sisters for food and rent,” he shared, adding that there were times he slept at church because conditions at home were unbearable.

Despite the painful memories, the striker managed to inject a touch of humour into his reflections.

“You know, I pray for everybody. I really do. Except for landlords. I always seem to forget them in my prayers,” he joked.