He foils a robbery and the supermarket hires him. The inspiring story of Osahon, a 27-year-old Nigerian refugee (video)

Before confronting the knife-wielding criminal who was about to commit yet another robbery at a Turin store, this young refugee was begging. After his act, the manager decided to give him a chance, going against the grain of many who accused her of pretending to be a do-gooder.

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FOILS A ROBBERY AND BECOME A CLERK

REFUGEE HERO TURIN

Osahon was begging outside the supermarket like every day when he suddenly saw a hooded man with a knife approaching the cashier. In those few moments, he didn't hesitate and managed to scare off the intruder who was about to commit yet another robbery at Prestofresco in Mercadante, Turin. An act of heroism that didn't go unnoticed, so much so that today Osahon Ewansiha , a 27-year-old Nigerian man , works at a supermarket.

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FOILS A ROBBERY AND BECOME A CLERK

After foiling the robbery , the company's attorney, Domenica Lauro , decided to offer a chance to Osahon Ewansiha, who a few days ago started working at the supermarket on Via Clementi, just steps from where he had previously been begging. All this was made possible thanks to a three-year apprenticeship contract which, as the young man told Carlotta Rocci in an interview in Repubblica , will allow him to start over: "My future begins here ." And to think that this heroic act was natural for Osahon because "when I saw the cashier in danger, I thought of my family in Nigeria and decided to intervene." A decision that was far from risk-free, because when the thief heard the young Nigerian man behind him, he repeatedly tried to stab him with the knife until he gave up and ran away. The escape, however, was short-lived: the criminal, a 28-year-old Italian, decided to turn himself in when he realized he was being hunted by the police.

MIGRANTS WHO INTEGRATE

In the interview with Repubblica , Osahon declared: "I beg because even if I have nothing, I don't want to become a thief." A simple statement that is emblematic of his nature. A sincerity that must have also been sensed by the director who, against all odds, decided to hire him. "I've received some emails accusing me of false do-goodism," Domenica Lauro told Carlotta Rocci, "but I don't want to give it any weight. I have 70 employees and they're all Italian. This racial hatred gets us nowhere." The director, despite the difficulties, went straight ahead and, before hiring the young man, invited him first to renew his residence permit and then to register with the employment center to have his documents certified. Once the paperwork was completed, Osahon began working and, for now, will have a moderate 25-hour contract. In his spare time, he's committed to learning Italian fluently so he can be of service to customers, not just in the warehouse. In short, a full-time commitment that this Nigerian man has decided to throw himself into, hoping to shape the future he envisions in our country.

The cover photo is taken from the article in Repubblica, Turin, first day as a clerk for the "hero refugee" who foiled the supermarket robbery

 

STORIES OF INTEGRATION

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