A lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Abdulkareem Babatunde Taiwo, who has just completed his doctoral programme, has given details of his encounter with the harsh streets of Lagos which almost stopped him from attending schools.
Taiwo, who specialised in Physical and Health Education and who has been a lecturer in the university since 2023, wrote about his life on his Facebook wall as he added that he hawked bread through the streets of Mushin, Ijesha, Aguda, Surulere, among others.
He wrote: “Growing up was tough. Life was never fair and success seemed like a privilege reserved for other people.
“I was raised by my grandmother from a very young age. She had four of us under her care, and life was anything but easy.
“To support our family, I sold bread through the streets of Mushin, Ijesha, Aguda, and Surulere. The street taught me lessons I will never forget. They were rough, unforgiving and full of distractions. Many young people with great potential never escaped them.
“There was a time when I honestly believed I might never even earn a secondary school certificate. At one point in secondary school, I lost my way and came dangerously close to dropping out. Looking back today, I realise how easily my story could have ended differently.
“Along the journey, I met people who believed in me, encouraged me, corrected me, supported me, and refused to let me give up. Yes, I worked hard. I persevered. I remained resilient even when life seemed impossible. But I cannot call myself a self-made man. I am a community project
“Today, by Allah’s will, that little boy who once walked the streets with a tray of bread on his head is reaching the peak of his academic journey with a Ph.D.
“Whenever people celebrate my achievements, I remember my grandmother’s sacrifices, the difficult streets that shaped me, and everyone who invested in my future. This achievement belongs to all of them.
“If my story encourages just one person today, let it be this: Never allow your current circumstances to convince you that your future has already been written.
“Where you start in life does not determine where you will finish. Always do your best and trust in God.”
