Nigerian “Squeegee Man” Turns His Unusual Style into Celebrity and Fame

Charles Ayitey May 25, 2016
(Photo: http://edition.cnn.com/)

Nigerian college drop-out Abeokuta Olatoyan attracted international media when he decided not just to take on the job of a car windscreen cleaner (squeegee man), but to do so in style! This move has set him apart as not just Africa’s most dapper squeegee man but one of Africa’s most innovative people. Now, CNN reports that Olatoyan’s eye-catching effort to gather the needed funds to complete college and start his own business has gained him employment with a local clothing line.

Talking about the reason for entering to the business of car-screen washing Olatoyan revealed that he never had wanted to be seen loitering about doing nothing as an unemployed youth.

“I didn’t want to be wandering the streets doing nothing,” he stated.

Meanwhile, upon coming across a photograph of the elegant squeegee man, head of Nigeria’s clothing line OUCH, Uche Nnanji mounted a search party for him on Instagram so he could immediately employ Olatoyan:

Pls TAG him or send us his number we have a JOB waiting for him at OUCH: ?. I WOKE up to see this image and wondering…How can a young-man make an effort to DRESS this way to CLEAN car windshield in TRAFFIC and be LEFT to continue with this? ..God Forbid Bad Thing . 7 Reasons why this Man deserve a JOB at OUCH… 1: He made an effort to DRESS better than his present SITUATION shows/tells me that this is a Man with a VISION who needs a PUSH. 2: He could have decided to DRESS in a T-shirt and Jeans like others in the same TRADE,but HEY! He won’t have stood out and be noticed …#SellYourSelf 3: He could have STAYED at home living in self delusion that he is better than this kind of JOB. 4: He saw a NEED and DECIDED to provide a SOLUTION #SolveAProblem 5: He understood the IMPORTANCE of wearing a SUIT I have said this countless TIMEs to Fresh graduates and JOB hunters to #DRESS4SUCCESS 6: He had a CHOICE of sitting at HOME, Living in SELF-Pity and BLAMING the Govt for his WOES in Life.but he decided to MAKE A MOVE and get his hands BUSY #7: For a bit I thought about what SOME people may say about this Gesture , but I quickly realized that even JobSEEKERs and those who have NEVER added VALUE TO SOCIETY or another human LIFE would ALWAYS talk as they NEVER see the brighter side of things…So let them TALK… PLEASE All I want is his nos as he deserves BETTER from life #Dress4Success #MCM #SartoriallyCorrect #StyleInfluencer #OUCHman #Menswear #Suitgang #suits #Bowties #dappperlydone

A photo posted by Uche Nnaji The StyleDoctor (@uchennaji) on

Youth unemployment remains one of the greatest problems in Nigeria, despite being the leading producer of oil in West Africa. According to international economic forecasts, Nigeria’s unemployment rate is most likely to increase to 12 percent by 2020. Olatoyin’s story is an inspiration to the discouraged jobseekers to keep a positive attitude because you never know who may be watching. As OUCH’s head man told CNN photographer Daniel Sync:

“I saw attitude in him and thought if this man is doing this just to go and wash cars, he is someone that will work with a different mindset even if he’s doing the least popular job in the company.”

Olatoyan in his new role as "style doctor". (Photo: lailasblog.com)

Olatoyan in his new role as “style doctor”. (Photo: lailasblog.com)

Last Edited by:Charles Ayitey Updated: July 26, 2016

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