Sports
Humble begining: “How I Fetched Water, Cleaned Gutters for N30” – Victor Osimhen Reflects on past
Nigerian football star, Victor Osimhen, has opened up about the difficult circumstances he endured growing up, revealing that he once engaged in menial jobs just to make ends meet.
During a heartfelt conversation with media personality Daddy Freeze, Osimhen spoke candidly about his childhood struggles, detailing how poverty shaped his early life and gave him the resilience that now fuels his success on the pitch.
The Napoli forward, now celebrated as one of Africa’s finest football exports, shared that as a young boy growing up in Lagos, he fetched water for neighbors and cleaned algae-filled gutters for meager sums.
“There was a building opposite our house, like those ‘face-me-I-face-you’ compounds. I used to fetch water for the people living upstairs for N80,” Osimhen recalled.
“At other times, I would clean their gutters, the ones filled with those green things Spirogyra and I did that for N30.”
His story struck a chord with many Nigerians who could relate to the grind of daily survival and the unpredictable nature of life.
Social Media Reactions: A Story That Inspired Thousands
Osimhen’s story quickly went viral, with fans and social media users praising his journey and using it as a source of personal encouragement.
One user, @my_helper_where_you_dey, wrote:
“God, you remembered Osimhen and he became a great man. Please remember me too before this year ends. I want to be great! Sapa [poverty] is not a joke.”
@sexysleem2 commented:
“Every great person has a story. Thank God you paved your way, Osy Wonder.👏👏”
Another user, @barpasiano, added:
“This one, you can never question the source of his wealth—evidence dey everywhere.”
@lady.blemiviv reflected:
“Life! This is exactly why you should never look down on anyone. You don’t know what tomorrow holds.”
And @aniberry22 wrote:
“Just be kind, even to the people doing the smallest jobs—like your gate man or gutter cleaner. That person might be the one to help you tomorrow. You won’t be broke, but they might be the reason your account balance starts breathing again.”
From Gutter Cleaner to Global Star
Victor Osimhen’s rise from the slums of Lagos to becoming a global football sensation is nothing short of inspirational. From cleaning gutters for N30 to being valued in the millions by top football clubs across Europe, his journey serves as a testament to resilience, humility, and the power of hard work.
Now a fan favorite and role model for aspiring athletes, Osimhen continues to motivate millions with not just his talent, but his transparency about where he started and the struggles that shaped him.
Team FCT have emerged winners of the Abuja Zone of the ongoing 2026 First Bank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation Inter-Secondary School Football Competition.
The FCT side finished top of the zonal standings with 10 points to secure the first position, while Plateau State came second with 7 points.
Other teams that participated in the Abuja Zone competition were representatives from Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
Speaking after FCT emerged champions of the zone, 16-year-old Victor Onyebuchi, an emerging star and a student of GSTC Garki, praised the organisers for providing young footballers with an opportunity to showcase their talents.
Onyebuchi said he had hoped and prayed that FCT would emerge winners of the group, expressing delight that his wish had been fulfilled.
He, however, stressed that the team must work harder ahead of the national final, where they will aim to compete for the overall title.
“I am very happy that FCT emerged winners of the group. I prayed for this and my wish has come true. Now, we have to work harder for the national final and hopefully emerge champions,”
Onyebuchi said.
The promising midfielder also revealed that the competition represents an important platform in his ambition to become a professional footballer.
“My dream is to become a professional footballer in Nigeria and later play for the national team. I believe this tournament can give me the opportunity to achieve that dream.”
The Abuja Zone was one of the zonal centres for the 2026 First Bank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation Inter-Secondary School Football Competition, designed to provide young players with a platform to develop and showcase their football abilities.
Former Super Eagles captain and Al-Ahli star, William Troost-Ekong, has converted to Islam.
Troost-Ekong was said to have recited the Shahadah in Doha, Qatar, where he plays for Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli, as reported by a Qatari press, “Al-Arab” on Wednesday.
A respected Islamic cleric, Dr Muhammad Salah, also shared a video on his verified Facebook account wherein the defender recited the testimonies.
The 33-year-old defender first moved to the Arab region in the summer of 2024, when he signed for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khaleej.
He joined Qatari side, Al-Ahli in January 2026 on a one-and-a-half-year contract and has since played 14 matches across all competitions, including a single appearance in the current season.
On the international stage, Ekong won 83 caps for Nigeria between 2015 and 2025, scoring 8 goals.
He reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and was named best player of that edition.
Troost-Ekong also represented Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games, establishing himself as one of the country’s most experienced defenders of the past decade.
He enjoyed a distinguished international career with Super Eagles, making more than 70 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Senegalese football star, Sadio Mane, has launched a CFA11.7 billion ($20.4 million) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at expanding mango processing and creating jobs.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, Sedhiou Region.
The complex will include a processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes of mangoes, producing mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.
It will also include a 500-hectare plantation of Kent mangoes.
The project is located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, where limited processing facilities have contributed to significant post-harvest losses.
Senegal loses an estimated 30 to 45 percent of harvested fruit annually, with poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation challenges, and limited processing outlets among the factors contributing to the losses, Ecofin Agency reported.
Speaking at the launch, Mane said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond football.
“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began… We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture,” Mane was quoted as saying.
The facility is expected to allow more mangoes to be processed locally, including fruit that may not qualify for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary requirements.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region, while Sedhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped despite producing local mango varieties.
The study also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services in Casamance as a challenge for processors, forcing some businesses to depend on Dakar for the services.
Mane’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from recent difficulties linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.
Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes subsequently declined following problems that affected access to the European market.
Exports to Europe reportedly rose to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, up from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.
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