Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has recounted the harsh experiences he endured with landlords while growing up in Lagos, revealing how deprivation and instability shaped his character and fierce competitive spirit.
In a chat with The Players’ Tribune, the 27-year-old forward spoke about life in Olusosun, a densely populated slum community, where poverty defined his childhood after the death of his mother.
He said his father lost his job as a driver following the tragedy and was forced to wash dishes in a police headquarters kitchen to earn a small stipend, income that was barely enough for the seven members of the family living in a single-room apartment.
“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 seven of us, no TV, nothing. I went outside and sat next to a gutter and started crying,” Osimhen said.
He added that matters worsened when the landlord removed part of the roof under the pretext of carrying out repairs.
“Our house barely had a roof. It was starting to cave in, and so the landlord said, ‘OK, I will fix it. Do not worry.’ He sent some guys over, and they took half the roof off and never came back.”
Osimhen explained that many families in the neighbourhood survived by reselling scraps from the nearby landfill, while he took on menial jobs and handed his earnings to his siblings to help buy food and pay rent.
The Napoli forward has often spoken about how hardship forged his relentless determination in professional football, a trait frequently visible during matches.
During Nigeria’s 4–0 AFCON victory over Mozambique, he showed visible frustration after feeling denied a pass, exchanging words with teammates before heading toward the tunnel after substitution. Coaches later described the moment as passion driven by his desire to win.
He also recently admitted feeling humiliated by a social-media post mocking a missed penalty during his time at Napoli, noting that such moments still affect him deeply.
Observers say the same emotional sensitivity fuels his tireless pressing, work rate and willingness to create chances for teammates, qualities that have made him one of Africa’s most formidable forwards.
