Rilwan Rasheed, 15, and his 10-year-old
brother Waris, hadn’t known the meaning of poverty.
brother Waris, hadn’t known the meaning of poverty.
In fact, these children were born into
relative comfort. They attended a private primary school – a luxury for
many children in the area – and lived with their parents. They had no
worries even though their father, a thrift collector, had six wives and
was even about taking another one.
relative comfort. They attended a private primary school – a luxury for
many children in the area – and lived with their parents. They had no
worries even though their father, a thrift collector, had six wives and
was even about taking another one.
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“We
had all sorts of toys. We were oblivious of the life outside the walls
of our house. We were the envy of most of our peers and we were seen as
privileged kids. Our daily routine was a simple one – school, home,
play. It was truly a blissful life,” the elder Rasheed, Rilwan told gooo/feature/super-saturday-feature/how-we-were-rescued-from-dumpsite-to-dance-for-jonathan-fashola-others-teenage-brothers/”>Punch.
had all sorts of toys. We were oblivious of the life outside the walls
of our house. We were the envy of most of our peers and we were seen as
privileged kids. Our daily routine was a simple one – school, home,
play. It was truly a blissful life,” the elder Rasheed, Rilwan told gooo/feature/super-saturday-feature/how-we-were-rescued-from-dumpsite-to-dance-for-jonathan-fashola-others-teenage-brothers/”>Punch.
But tragedy struck and
the young Rasheeds’ sheltered lives crumbled before they could know what
hit them. Rilwan said their father, who was
the pillar of the home, fell victim to fraudsters and at the snap of the
finger, he lost everything he owned thus it was goodbye to the
luxurious life he and his family enjoyed.
the young Rasheeds’ sheltered lives crumbled before they could know what
hit them. Rilwan said their father, who was
the pillar of the home, fell victim to fraudsters and at the snap of the
finger, he lost everything he owned thus it was goodbye to the
luxurious life he and his family enjoyed.
And since their father couldn’t
withstand the hardship, he quickly abandoned his six wives and his
children and relocated to Ibadan, Oyo State, but not without telling the
boys’ mother to take care of the children in his absence.
But it wasn’t easy for their mother,
Habibat, who was just a petty trader. Rilwan said life got tougher and
tougher for him and his kid brother.
Habibat, who was just a petty trader. Rilwan said life got tougher and
tougher for him and his kid brother.
“At
first, our father visited once in a while, but at some point, he
stopped coming. Things got so tough for my mother that the landlord
evicted us. We had to move our belongings to my stepbrother’s house. He
was quite accommodating but after a few months, his mother began to
cause trouble for us, especially for my mother. She was fond of cursing
us with the Bible.”
first, our father visited once in a while, but at some point, he
stopped coming. Things got so tough for my mother that the landlord
evicted us. We had to move our belongings to my stepbrother’s house. He
was quite accommodating but after a few months, his mother began to
cause trouble for us, especially for my mother. She was fond of cursing
us with the Bible.”
But they endured the abuses and would have continued to endure, at least they were offered shelter. But tragedy struck again!
“One day, there was a fire outbreak in
the area and it affected my stepbrother’s house. We had to relocate to
Oworonshoki (Lagos). Where we took refuge also got burnt one day and
this time, our mother’s savings got burnt as well. That put an end to
her petty trading. Some friends were able to give her some money so she
had to start selling local herbal concoction (paraga), while I
and Waris became scavengers at a dumpsite. Our mother begged her friend
to accommodate us at nights while she slept in an abandoned bus at a
dumpsite where we picked scraps.”
the area and it affected my stepbrother’s house. We had to relocate to
Oworonshoki (Lagos). Where we took refuge also got burnt one day and
this time, our mother’s savings got burnt as well. That put an end to
her petty trading. Some friends were able to give her some money so she
had to start selling local herbal concoction (paraga), while I
and Waris became scavengers at a dumpsite. Our mother begged her friend
to accommodate us at nights while she slept in an abandoned bus at a
dumpsite where we picked scraps.”
But the shelter was just a temporary
relief as their mother’s friend became intolerant so they had to join
their mother to sleep inside the abandoned bus at the dumpsite every
night.
relief as their mother’s friend became intolerant so they had to join
their mother to sleep inside the abandoned bus at the dumpsite every
night.
The 10-year-old Waris could still remember those days at the dumpsite.
“When we moved to live in a bus with my
mother, we really suffered. I remember that after we finished picking
broken bottles each day, I would play in the dirt since I had nowhere
else to go. People would tell me to go away from their side when I move
near them because I was very dirty. Few months after we got there, I was
very sick and almost died before God sent us a helper.”
mother, we really suffered. I remember that after we finished picking
broken bottles each day, I would play in the dirt since I had nowhere
else to go. People would tell me to go away from their side when I move
near them because I was very dirty. Few months after we got there, I was
very sick and almost died before God sent us a helper.”
Watching and listening to her kids talk
about those terrible days brought tears to the eyes of their mother, who
had all along, sat quietly as the young boys talked about their
experience.
about those terrible days brought tears to the eyes of their mother, who
had all along, sat quietly as the young boys talked about their
experience.
At that point, Habibat couldn’t but help chip in her own experience in those harrowing days.
“I was advised to use one of my children
for rituals when things became so bad. It was a terrible period. I was a
very successful business woman. Who would believe that there was a time
I bought cars, tricycles and motorcycles for people as gifts? But I
eventually became somebody who had to beg for food before I could eat.
for rituals when things became so bad. It was a terrible period. I was a
very successful business woman. Who would believe that there was a time
I bought cars, tricycles and motorcycles for people as gifts? But I
eventually became somebody who had to beg for food before I could eat.
“It was at that period that some of my
friends told me that I should use one of my children for rituals. I told
them that I could not do that because all that I do in life is for my
children. I told them that if I did such a thing, I would not be happy
anytime I spent the money. I knew that help would eventually come one
day.”
friends told me that I should use one of my children for rituals. I told
them that I could not do that because all that I do in life is for my
children. I told them that if I did such a thing, I would not be happy
anytime I spent the money. I knew that help would eventually come one
day.”
And true to her strong belief, help eventually came but from the least place they had expected, a dance group.
Yes, this dance group used to rehearse
behind their house back then. After school, the boys said they would
watch the group perform. They didn’t forget the group even when they
relocated to the dumpsite.
behind their house back then. After school, the boys said they would
watch the group perform. They didn’t forget the group even when they
relocated to the dumpsite.
“Uncle Seun usually rehearsed with his
group at the back of our house and whenever I heard their drums I went
to watch them practice. After their rehearsals, my friends and I would
mimic their dance steps using buckets as our drums. We would just be
having fun. That was how we met Uncle Seun,” Rilwan said.
group at the back of our house and whenever I heard their drums I went
to watch them practice. After their rehearsals, my friends and I would
mimic their dance steps using buckets as our drums. We would just be
having fun. That was how we met Uncle Seun,” Rilwan said.
And it was ‘Uncle Seun’, who turned their lives around and brought smiles to their faces again.
“Uncle Seun taught us how to dance, with
our mother’s consent. That was how our lives changed. Uncle Seun asked
us to come and stay with him. He first invited me before he called my
younger brother to come too but by then, my brother had fallen very ill
and was hospitalised. He paid my brother’s hospital bills and asked our
mother to permit us to stay with him. We went back to school.”
our mother’s consent. That was how our lives changed. Uncle Seun asked
us to come and stay with him. He first invited me before he called my
younger brother to come too but by then, my brother had fallen very ill
and was hospitalised. He paid my brother’s hospital bills and asked our
mother to permit us to stay with him. We went back to school.”
Their lives have indeed changed. From
the dumpsite, the kids moved to the stage, big stage where they have had
the opportunity to perform before big personalities including Nobel
laureate, Wole Soyinka, the immediate past governor of Lagos state,
Babatunde Fashola, and even the immediate State President, Goodluck
Jonathan.
the dumpsite, the kids moved to the stage, big stage where they have had
the opportunity to perform before big personalities including Nobel
laureate, Wole Soyinka, the immediate past governor of Lagos state,
Babatunde Fashola, and even the immediate State President, Goodluck
Jonathan.
Waris would likely not forget how he felt the first time he performed in front of former President Jonathan.
“I have met a lot of big people that my
peers only see on the television. I am proud to say that I have
performed before a President. I cried because God removed me from the
refuse site I called home and made me become somebody important in
life,” he said.
peers only see on the television. I am proud to say that I have
performed before a President. I cried because God removed me from the
refuse site I called home and made me become somebody important in
life,” he said.
The brothers acknowledged they probably
would have been dead if they were not introduced to dance. They feel if
they were lucky to be alive, they would have become gangsters because
while they were living in the dumpsite, some thugs had tried to lure
them into their gang.
would have been dead if they were not introduced to dance. They feel if
they were lucky to be alive, they would have become gangsters because
while they were living in the dumpsite, some thugs had tried to lure
them into their gang.
“We saw things children shouldn’t see
while we were at the dumpsite. There was a day I saw a gun with a
gangster that wanted us to join a gang. If not for dance, we would have
become gangsters like the boys that lived with us at the dumpsite. I am
sure that if we had remained there, if we did not join them, the best we
would have been in life would have been to become bus conductors. That
is why we would always be grateful to Uncle Seun.”
while we were at the dumpsite. There was a day I saw a gun with a
gangster that wanted us to join a gang. If not for dance, we would have
become gangsters like the boys that lived with us at the dumpsite. I am
sure that if we had remained there, if we did not join them, the best we
would have been in life would have been to become bus conductors. That
is why we would always be grateful to Uncle Seun.”
‘Uncle Seun’, whose real name is Seun
Awobajo, would later tell our correspondent his story was similar to
that of the Rasheed brothers and as such, that was the primary reason he
decided to uproot them from the dungeon and give them a new lease of
life.
Awobajo, would later tell our correspondent his story was similar to
that of the Rasheed brothers and as such, that was the primary reason he
decided to uproot them from the dungeon and give them a new lease of
life.
“I lost my father when I was just two
years. Dance saved my life in a lot of ways. I was raised by people who
were not my biological parents and I did not get to know till I was in
secondary school. My colleagues in school used to tease me that my
mother had married another man and I was so furious that I went to
confront my surrogate mother. She explained briefly to me that I lost my
father when I was about two years old and my mother absconded shortly
after so she took me in.
years. Dance saved my life in a lot of ways. I was raised by people who
were not my biological parents and I did not get to know till I was in
secondary school. My colleagues in school used to tease me that my
mother had married another man and I was so furious that I went to
confront my surrogate mother. She explained briefly to me that I lost my
father when I was about two years old and my mother absconded shortly
after so she took me in.
“I discovered my passion for dance when I
was in secondary school so I decided to join a cultural group. I hid
this from my father parents because they would have discouraged me and
told me to face his studies. Four of my friends had joined a cult group
and I had considered joining too but I was preoccupied with dance.
Today, those four friends are dead while I am still alive. I believe I
would have been dead as well if I had joined.”
was in secondary school so I decided to join a cultural group. I hid
this from my father parents because they would have discouraged me and
told me to face his studies. Four of my friends had joined a cult group
and I had considered joining too but I was preoccupied with dance.
Today, those four friends are dead while I am still alive. I believe I
would have been dead as well if I had joined.”
Currently the founder of Footprint of
David, Awobajo explained how he met the Rasheed brothers. He said, “I
used to be a member of a cultural group but after a while our group was
dissolved and everybody went their way, then I went to the venue where
we rehearsed and I saw some children there mimicking our dance moves. I
was touched, so, I lurked in a corner and watched them. Most of them
were hawkers and beggars because the venue was close to a bus stop. So I
began to teach them how to dance. From then on, I began to schedule
sessions with them. As the months passed on, things began to fall in
place. As we grew in number, I came up with the name Footprints of David
because I believed that it was proper to instil Christian virtues in
the children and I am a born again Christian myself.
David, Awobajo explained how he met the Rasheed brothers. He said, “I
used to be a member of a cultural group but after a while our group was
dissolved and everybody went their way, then I went to the venue where
we rehearsed and I saw some children there mimicking our dance moves. I
was touched, so, I lurked in a corner and watched them. Most of them
were hawkers and beggars because the venue was close to a bus stop. So I
began to teach them how to dance. From then on, I began to schedule
sessions with them. As the months passed on, things began to fall in
place. As we grew in number, I came up with the name Footprints of David
because I believed that it was proper to instil Christian virtues in
the children and I am a born again Christian myself.
“At first things were rough, we had to
beg people to allow us perform at churches and events. But gradually, we
began to grow beyond our imagination and now, we have graced a lot of
events that have allowed us see dignitaries in the society.
beg people to allow us perform at churches and events. But gradually, we
began to grow beyond our imagination and now, we have graced a lot of
events that have allowed us see dignitaries in the society.
“When we were starting out, I noticed
that most parents were nonchalant about their children staying with me.
Before I induct any of the children into my group, I normally go to meet
their parents. Most of their parents were delighted to get the burden
off them.”
that most parents were nonchalant about their children staying with me.
Before I induct any of the children into my group, I normally go to meet
their parents. Most of their parents were delighted to get the burden
off them.”