Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has opened up about his deep emotional connection to Olusosun, the Lagos community where he grew up, describing it as the place that moulded him into the man he is today.
The 26-year-old Nigerian forward, who continues to shine in Europe, said Olusosun holds a special place in his heart because it was there he learned some of life’s toughest but most valuable lessons.
He revealed that he makes it a point to visit the community every time he returns home to Nigeria, not out of nostalgia, but to express gratitude and inspire the younger generation.
“I came from a very poor background. I’m the lastborn of seven. I lost my mum at a very young age, and my father passed on in 2020,” Osimhen was quoted by UEFA’s website as saying after Galatasaray’s 3-0 win against Ajax in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
“Before I rose to fame, before I became someone important in life, my childhood was really tough because, as a young lad, I had to try to live for myself, to try to help my siblings also in raising money at that time, and to make sure that we all came together to help our father after his wife passed away.”
The Super Eagles star explained that although Olusosun didn’t offer him much materially, it taught him resilience, humility, and a strong sense of purpose, qualities that continue to guide him both on and off the pitch.
“Olusosun shaped me to become the kind of person I am today, and, as much as I wouldn’t say it gave me so much, it actually taught me life lessons that have helped me through life’s journey,” he said.
“So, for me, it’s really an amazing place; that’s the reason why any time I’m in Nigeria, I always go there to show gratitude, to show the young kids that if I could make it out of this place, I believe that you can.”
The Lagos-born footballer’s story from the dusty streets of Olusosun to the dazzling lights of Europe’s biggest stadiums continues to inspire millions of young Nigerians who see in him the proof that humble beginnings don’t define one’s future.