From orphanhood and abandonment to drug addiction, abuse and life on the streets, VICTOR AYENI tells the stories of former street touts whose lives were transformed through rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration into society
At first sight, Ahmed Oyewale (not his real name) cut the image of an upwardly mobile, professional Lagos youth. Nothing about him seemed to reflect the hoops he had leapt through in life.
Clad in a cream-coloured, short-sleeved, breathable outfit that mirrored his easygoing demeanour, the studs in Oyewale’s ears shimmered against his dark skin, while his dreadlocks gave him a distinctive look.
The 34-year-old smiled warmly as he sat down to speak with this reporter, pointing to an artwork hanging on the wall that he admired.
The native of Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, now works as an assistant production manager at a firm in Lagos State.
