By Similouwa Oludayo
In the hustle and bustle of Lagos city are the people at the centre of it all. Eko ò kí í sùn (Lagos does not sleep), they say. From the street hawkers to the bankers, everyone rises early to chase a purpose.
For Aderonke, that purpose is education. It is more than a routine; it is a symbol of hope.
Assembly starts at 7:30 a.m., so she rises at 6:30 to walk miles daily. She walks past noisy bus conductors, street hawkers, and even her classmates on zooming motorcycles.
With sandals worn out, patched countless times, dusty, and with soles thinned by distance, she walks each step with confidence–not in the realities of the present, but in the possibilities the future holds.
To many, her battered sandals symbolise poverty and hardship. But for Aderonke, they carry more than her feet; they hold dreams, resilience, and a strong belief in a future yet to unfold.
Every stitch in her sandals tells a story. They speak of days when her feet felt too heavy to carry her dreams, of moments when she nearly gave up but didn’t. They represent her refusal to let life’s hardships define her.
Sometimes, the journey feels endless, but she chooses to become the director of her story, carefully crafting each scene with intentionality. She shows her strength, not just her struggle, and her progress, not just her pain.
Even in her toughest moments, her battered sandals have carried her to tests she dreaded, new friendships she has made, competitions she has won, and moments she wants to relive.
They tell stories of resilient steps and dreams too big to quit. Through rain and sun, they have carried her dreams, leading her to become someone stronger and beautifully unbroken. Her feet may be tired, but her spirit isn’t.
