The story of Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen has once again stirred public reflection on humility compassion and the unpredictable turns of life. Osimhen recently shared a deeply personal account from his early years in Lagos when he struggled to survive by selling sachet water. During that period he said his uncle refused to allow him stay in his house forcing him to fend for himself on the streets. Years later after Osimhen had risen to global fame and financial stability the same uncle fell critically ill and required a large sum of money for treatment. Out of shame and pride the uncle reportedly warned his children not to contact Osimhen for help saying he did not like asking people for assistance. By the time the children eventually reached out the illness had worsened and the uncle later died. Osimhen said the experience taught him a lasting lesson about kindness and warned that people should never look down on others because circumstances can change without notice. His account has resonated widely especially among young Nigerians facing hardship and rejection while chasing their dreams.
The emotional reflection coincides with renewed public attention on the trauma of kidnapping and insecurity on Nigerian roads. A survivor of a recent abduction along the Nsukka to Enugu axis has narrated his harrowing ordeal in captivity. According to his account the journey was progressing smoothly until heavy gunfire erupted both ahead and behind their vehicle causing panic and collisions. Realizing an attack was underway he and a colleague ran into the bush but he was quickly caught at gunpoint and ordered to lie down. He described the commander of the kidnappers as authoritative multilingual and highly organised speaking fluent English Fulani and Igbo while coordinating the operation with precision.
The victim said captives were forced to wake by early morning and move constantly through the forest to avoid detection. They were made to carry food cooking pots and sleeping materials and were fed only once a day with basic meals such as rice with red oil yam harvested from the bush or garri mixed with water. According to him movement usually resumed by evening and after ransom calls gunshots were often heard signaling fresh attacks. He recalled that new victims were brought into the camp the same night. He also revealed tactical details warning travelers that fleeing towards one side of the bush often led to ambush while running in the opposite direction sometimes resulted in escape. The survivor advised families to negotiate ransoms calmly and patiently noting that aggressive communication often resulted in captives being beaten. His testimony has reignited public anger and fear over continued insecurity and the psychological toll on victims and families.
Adding to the growing concerns over justice and human rights is a troubling case from Abia State involving a young man sentenced to death for alleged armed robbery. In 2020 a High Court sitting in the Igbere Judicial Division sentenced Mr Obadiah Mbaonu the only son of his parents to death by hanging over allegations that he stole mobile phones at gunpoint. The judgment delivered by Justice Agwu Umah Kalu followed charges that Mbaonu then about twenty years old robbed an individual of a Nokia Lumia phone and a Huawei phone on January one two thousand and seventeen. The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and imposed the mandatory death sentence despite expressing regret over the severity of the law.
Five years later the father of the condemned man continues to insist that his son was innocent and framed as a result of a longstanding land dispute in the community. He has appealed to the Abia State Governor Alex Otti to intervene using constitutional powers to review the case. According to the family court documents and case files have allegedly gone missing after the transfer of the convict from Afara Correctional Center in Umuahia to Enugu Correctional Facility. The father maintains that his son pleaded not guilty throughout the trial and that the conviction was driven by personal vendetta rather than credible evidence.
Together these stories reflect different but connected realities in Nigeria today. They speak of social neglect and the consequences of pride unchecked insecurity that continues to terrorize ordinary citizens and a justice system that many families feel is inaccessible or unforgiving. From Osimhen’s rise from rejection to global stardom to the chilling account of life in kidnappers camps and the desperate plea of a father seeking mercy for his only son the message is consistent. Compassion fairness and responsibility remain critical values in a society grappling with hardship. As Nigerians continue to debate these issues online and offline the stories serve as reminders that behind every headline are human lives shaped by choices made by individuals institutions and the society at large.
