‘We both hawked orange, sold pure water’ — Victor Osimhen’s sister details painful past before Super Eagles star’s success

The journey of Victor Osimhen from the rugged streets of Olusosun to the pinnacle of European football is a story of grit.

While the world now sees a global star, his elder sister, Blessing Osimhen, has provided a hauntingly intimate look at the deprivation that forged the 27-year-old Super Eagles striker.

Long before Victor surprised her with a ₦400 million Tesla Cybertruck last month, a gesture that went viral as a symbol of his astronomical success, Blessing sat down for a revealing interview in the YouTube documentary, “Victor Osimhen: The Untold Story.”

The trajectory of the Osimhen family changed forever in 2000. The death of their mother left a void that no relative stepped in to fill, leaving the children to navigate the "trenches" of Olusosun on their own.

“Victor’s growing up wasn’t interesting at all; from hardship to hardship,” Blessing said, her voice heavy with emotion.

“We lost our mom in 2000. After our mum’s death, everything was very difficult for us. No supporters. My dad was trying his best to put us through.”

Blessing’s account strips away the glamour of Victor's current life, replacing it with the image of siblings huddling together in a single room, plotting how to make enough money to eat the next day.

"We both hawked orange. My sister will go to the market and get oranges for us to go and sell," she recalled.

"We did a lot. There was no family to intervene. There was no family to support, only the seven of us sleeping in one room.”

The struggle took them to Ojota, one of Lagos’ busiest hubs, where a young Victor would dart between cars to sell sachet water, known locally as "pure water."

“We will go to Ojota to sell pure water. Whatever money Victor is making, when we get home, everybody will split it," Blessing said.

The interview, which has resurfaced in light of Victor Osimhen’s recent philanthropic streaks, highlights the communal bond that kept the family afloat.

It explains why the 2023 African Footballer of the Year remains so fiercely protective of his kin.

While the Tesla Cybertruck serves as a futuristic trophy of their victory over poverty, Blessing’s words remind us that the real story isn't the car; it’s the two siblings who overcame the harshest conditions by supporting each other.