My journey from Abuja streets to Russian Boardrooms – Timileyin Adeleke – THISDAYLIVE

For years, survival was Timileyin Adeleke’s only ambition. Long before he became an entrepreneur and PhD holder in Russia, the man now known as Ekunrawo was battling homelessness on the unforgiving streets of Abuja, where each night came with uncertainty and each day demanded grit.

Born into a modest Nigerian family where education was more aspiration than reality, Adeleke grew up surrounded by limitations that crushed many dreams before they could take shape. University education was rare in his family, not for lack of intelligence, but due to the harsh weight of poverty.

Those early experiences shaped his worldview. He watched capable individuals abandon their ambitions, not because they lacked drive, but because they lacked opportunity. It was a pattern he became determined to disrupt.
“I wanted to rewrite the history of my family,” he recalls. “Someone had to change that story.”
That decision came at a cost.

With no financial backing, Adeleke was forced into years of relentless movement across Nigeria. He travelled through all 36 states, chasing opportunities that were often temporary and physically demanding.

He worked as a bus conductor, a private driver, and later operated heavy-duty trucks. Each job came with exhaustion, yet he refused to remain stagnant.

There were moments that tested his resolve deeply. At one point, he found himself driving a car belonging to billionaire Aliko Dangote, an experience that left a lasting impression.

“It reminded me that greatness exists,” he says. “And that maybe my life could change too.”

But inspiration did not erase hardship. Adeleke endured prolonged periods of homelessness, sleeping in motor parks, unfinished buildings, and open spaces across Abuja.

“I slept on the streets many times,” he admits. “There were years when I had nowhere to call home.”
Even beyond Nigeria, his struggles followed him. In Ghana and Kenya, he faced similar challenges, navigating unfamiliar environments with little support.

Yet surrender was never an option.
“One thing about me is that I don’t give up,” he says. “My mindset is always stronger than my challenges.”

That mindset would eventually redefine his life. From the depths of uncertainty, Adeleke built a future that now stretches across continents, proving that resilience, when sustained long enough, can alter destiny.