When I see children of rich people, I feel like being one of them’

It’s a disheartening scene, set on a Tuesday morning in the oil and gas-rich yet impoverished city of Warri, Delta State. Teenage boys, averaging around 13 years old, paired up, scour for discarded metals using magnetized chains. Regardless of the scorching sun, they comb through gutters, refuse heaps, drainages, and roadsides. Welcome to the world of teenage scavengers in Warri.

Appearing dirty and sweaty, Pius Preye Gift and Peter Dosor wield a long axe, working on a pile of sand by the roadside in Etuwewe, Warri South Local Government. While the area isn’t strictly a slum, it mirrors a blend of affluence and dire poverty. During this Yuletide season, schoolchildren are on holiday, a crucial time for economically challenged kids like Pius and Peter to hustle before the school resumes.

Pius, aged 15 and in SS1, Social Sciences class, expresses his affinity for English Language and his aspiration to become a doctor, despite not studying science subjects. He comes from Ayakoromo-Agbekobo in Burutu Local Government, Delta State, orphaned since his mother’s death over a decade ago. His father, working in Ayakoromo, is often away, leaving Pius to navigate the challenges of life in Warri.

Speaking about his circumstances, Pius says, “I hustle by picking iron metals around town, selling them at Etuwewe. I make about N1,500 or N1,000 per day. A kilo is N130. I use the money to eat and take care of myself.” Despite his father paying his school fees, Pius operates in a world of self-reliance.

Peter Dosor, Pius’s companion in scavenging, hailing from Arogbo-Ijaw, Ondo State, shares his story. At 15, residing in Kpolokor area, he dreams of becoming a tailor, drawn to designs. He plans to start learning tailoring the following year. Despite being a science student, Peter emphasizes his determination to pursue a career in tailoring, supported by his parents who pay his school fees.

Both Pius and Peter embody the struggles of a society failing its underprivileged youth. Their early exposure to the harsh realities of life propels them to take control of their destinies in an unfair world. As the festivities unfold, countless underprivileged children across the country may go unnoticed, hungry and resentful, while their affluent counterparts revel in excess.

In contemplating the stark contrast between their lives and those of children from privileged homes, Pius remarks, “When I see children of rich people, I feel like being one of them. They are lucky. I wouldn’t know why my dad didn’t go to school.”