I hawked on the streets of Lagos with my father – Patoranking

Nigerian reggae dancehall star Patoranking, whose real name is Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, recently shared his difficult journey to fame.

At an event where he was named UNDP Goodwill Africa Ambassador for Youth Innovation, Enterprise, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Patoranking talked about his humble beginnings. He revealed that he used to sell goods on the streets of Lagos with his father to make ends meet.

Patoranking grew up in Ebute Metta, a poor and tough area of Lagos, where he faced many challenges. Despite these difficulties, he stayed focused on his dreams and eventually succeeded in his music career.

The singer shared these personal stories at the launch of the Timbuktoo Fintech Hub in Lagos, a United Nations Development Programme project aimed at boosting technology and entrepreneurship across Africa.

Patoranking said, “I hawked on the streets of Lagos with my father. Many years ago, I used to sell on this street [Kings Way road]. It used to be a very hot spot for trading.”

He added, “Many years after, everything that I pictured I wanted to become, the man I wanted to become is who I am now. So when I was driving down to this place it was a little bit teary moment for me because I saw myself [on this road].”

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