Odion Oghalo Goes From Rags To Riches

For the player Odion Oghalo, growing up in an Ajegunle ghetto, which is one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Lagos, it was very difficult for a child to have a normal childhood. After he scored 20 goals in the Championship to help Watford secure their promotion to the English Premier League in the last season, he become the player with an amazing rags to riches story.

The Nigerian had to do it all the hard way all his life. With the harsh economy and social conditions he grew up in, Ighalo did not have the best environment to nurture his football career. He grew up in clustered houses with no electricity or electricity shortage, dirty drains and flooded raods  with potholes, the player was destined for a life of crime than a football career.

“Life in Ajegunle was tough, we had no idea what the future would hold but we would wake up every morning content with the opportunity of another day” he said. When he was young him and his twin sister would stand by the canal, look across it and pray for a miracle that will take us out of the ghetto.

“The little house we lived in was built by my father and he made sure that we didn’t starve like other kids”he added.

My father told us that a hungry child will be tempted to steal and become homeless. Blessed with exceptional pace and ball control at an early age, he realised his soccer passion at a young age and his passion was his ticket out of the ghetto.