₦airaland Forum

Tournaments are always full of surprises. That is why I'm not giving up on Siasia and his boys. Spain annihilated Tahiti but the Spaniards can't do that against us. They themselves know that. We should not be too quick in predicting that Venezuela will beat Tahiti easily. Unfancied teams always act like spoilers in the last matches because they want to bow out of the tournament with their pride upheld. Saudi Arabia did the same thing at the 1998 World Cup. The Nigeria vs Spain game will be one of the best matches of the competition There is no doubt about that. I wish I  can catch a flight to Egypt and deliver a 10 mins motivational speech to our boys and Coach Samson Siasia. It is just that I have a hectic schedule at the moment. We can beat Spain and go all the way to the finals. Yes, we can lift the cup. The short speech goes like this:

'' I want you all to take your minds off that painful loss to Venezuela. That game has been played and lost. You have another match before you. It is against Spain. As I look at your faces, I'm not seeing losers. I'm seeing a team of passionate Nigerian football players who have got what it takes to win this competition. No team can beat you unless you allow them to. In 1998, nobody gave Nigeria a chance to beat Spain at the World Cup. But we did it. I know most of you in this room have seen Sunday Oliseh's goal that Zubizaretti failed to stop. That goal decided the match. Right now, Sunday Oliseh is watching you play in this competition. I want you to file out against Spain with his goal and victory celebration against the Spanish in 1998 etched on your minds. I want you to play the match of your life against Spain and make 150 million Nigerians happy. You are the Flying Eagles of Nigeria. You are a team with a strong pedigree in the U-20 Competition. It is in this same tourney in 1989 that Christopher Nwosu did the unthinkable. If we had lost against Czechoslovakia in the last group game, the miracle of Damman would not have happened. Your predecessors were down 0-1 to Czechoslovakia and it looked as if they won't qualify for the quaterfinals. I was 11 years old then and I thought Nigeria was out. Then Nwosu collected the ball in midfield and started a solo run to score a wonderful equaliser that took us to the Quater-Finals. You can beat Spain and go on to lift the trophy next month. Forget about your problems as a team and think of the possibility of winning the cup. No team is perfect and I'm telling you that you are winners. You have come a long way to crash out like that. Everybody is talking about the Egyptian team, the Spaniards and the Brazilians. These teams are not better than you. They have their own problems too. They are beatable over and over again. Now, I want you to go out there and teach Spain a football lesson they won't forget. You families, friends, relatives and 150 million Nigerians are solidly behind you. Go out there and win. Thank You''

That would be my speech to the Flying Eagles and Coach Samson Siasia. Cheers.

I can remember that Coach Siasia complained to the Nigerian Media at a certain period that he did not have a team. The 5 Nation tourney in Egypt revealed a lot about the Flying Eagles Squad. After the loss 1-3 loss to Guatemala, it was obvious that the team did not have a solid bench SiaOne had decided to rest some first team players against the Guatemalans, thinking that they would be easy to defeat. After the humiliating defeat to the South Americans, Siasia decamped a good number of the guys that played the game.

The problem with this current squad is deep and is hydra headed. There was no time for proper blending with some players just arriving in camp early this month. A lot of the Tella boys had become rusty with age [ you know what I'm saying ] and lack of first team football at their various clubs. Some were also not commited e.g Chrisantus, Ganiyu Oseni etc during the training camp in Qatar and Abuja, Nigeria. Chrisantus, Ganiyu Oseni et al were not present at the Pre-tournament training camps. What can the poor coach do? On top of it all, the two strong defenders he put his faith in messed him up I'm not trying to make excuses for Siasia, but how come Kingsley Udoh and Alex Nkume failed the Nation at the last minute? How could they be so stupid not to know the hassles of Visas and entry specifications? Alex Nkume on his part had been so selfish and I'm happy he did not make the team He stole out of camp to Europe for trials with some European clubs without Siasia's knowledge and consent. Nkume should have stayed with the team and prepared for the ongoing tourney knowing that he would be signed by a top club if he played well in Egypt. Short sightedness killed him.

Kingsley Udoh did not also spend enough time in camp with the other boys. He kept going to Europe and coming back to camp. He did not even study his schengen visa properly to notice that it was only valid for a single entry This also brings to the fore the state of the organization of Nigerian football. What was the protocol and logistic department of the NFF doing? Is the department not responsible for checking the passports and travel documents of the players, ensuring in the process that the players had the correct passports and visas? It just shows that we are not ready to take on the world The NFF is a grossly irresponsible organization and they have to take the blame for some of the problems the Flying Eagles are facing. What attempts were made by Sani Lulu, Taiwo Ogunjobi and co to ensure that the Spanish Embassy grants visas to Udoh and Nkume within 48 hours? Afterall, the two guys had travelled to Europe before!! Their passports were not virgin and they had the visas of other countries in them. It just shows that the NFF guys do not wish Siasia well. If the NFF had talked to the Presidency, top Government Officials would have spoken to the Spanish Ambassador and the Visas would have been issued in hours. Fastracking, so to speak, Nairalanders. I have had visas fast-tracked for me just by letters from Strong Organizations, not to talk of the Nigerian Government.  

All hope is not lost, mates. I dreamt last night that we beat Spain 1-0 I hope and pray the dream will come true. I see the team getting better in the next match with Gbolahan Salami and Rabiu Ibrahim starting against the Spaniards. Don't underestimate Siasia and his way of thinking. Spain is beatable and we'll get to the 2nd round. Cheers All.

Guys, I had to stop at a Cyber Cafe to watch the match online because I knew I won't get home early This current crop of Flying Eagles players are not that bad. It is just unfortunate that that Kingsley Udoh and Alex Nkume could not make the squad due to their stupidity These two strong defenders could have made the difference today. We all need to thank God for Uche Okafor, the goalkeeper. The lad has a bright future. And he's very young. Okafor made a lot of saves today. Something tells me our boys will beat Spain and turn things around. I'm not giving up yet on Siasia and his boys. I just like the confidence and composure of the goalkeeper- Uche Okafor.

We've suffered a painful loss. The Venezuelans are not going to go far in this tourney. Our boys just gave them the chance to express themselves. We played better in the second half and could have scored up to 5 goals. I'm not going to spare Siasia here. Though he's a good coach, his team was technically deficient in the first half. I knew the Venezuelans would score because of their constant forays into our box eighteen. We gave them too much space to pass and shoot the ball. Our defenders also looked timid. They need to gear up for the onslaught of the Spaniards. Here are my suggestions for Siasia:

1. The Flying Eagles need to beat Spain at all costs. We can do it if we tidy up our defence line and take the game to the Spaniards.
2. Talk to your strikers to stop wasting chances. Tell them to shoot from outside the box eighteen instead of dribbling into the goal area.
3. Let Gbolahan Salami start the next match as a striker.
4. Tell the boys not to be afraid of Spain.

Cheers.

Well, we've lost the first game. De vela was good for the Venezuelans. I am confident we will go far in this tournament. Good night, Nairalanders.

I believe in our boys.

if we had played like this in the first half, the game would have been won by now. These Venezuelans are not good.

well done, Okafor.

I know the NFF cowboys will be smiling in secret now. God won't allow them sacrifice Siasia. Amen.

Our boys have stepped up their game. However, we need the goals to carry the day!!!

See Simon Kalika doing his thing.

Yakubu Alfa has been taken out. He has not pulled his weight in this match. We will win this game. We just need to plug the holes in the defence. I see us winning.

The game has just started. Our boys are taking the battle to the Venezuelans. We can win this game.

Nigeria's defense is very suspect. It seems football analysts are being proved right that without Kingsley Udoh and Alex Nkume, our defence will be porous. This defence line cannot be compared to the 2005 defenders. Abe and co look jittery. Thank God for Okafor who has made good saves so far. Siasia needs to talk to these guys. And the red card decision is too harsh. It should have been a yellow card. So far, we have not played badly.

if we can't beat venezuela, who will we beat? We are making the venezuelans look good. They are not that great

I believe we will win the game once we tie up the loose ends. Cheers all!!

While we enjoy the thrills and great goals of the U-20 World Cup, we should also have it in mind the revolution that we need to inspire in Nigerian football. Things have to change in the way football is run in Nigeria. With the embarassment of the MRI scans on the U-17 team to Nigeria, I feel it is high time we start discovering very young players for our youth teams. It is painful that a solid player like Yakubu Alfa [ who is in Siasia's Present U-20 Squad ] might not become a world class footballer. He is currently playing professional football in Egypt. Nigeria has to develop players who will make much impact like Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Solomon Kalou, Yahya Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor et al. It is very hard to find Nigerian players in World Soccer Magazines these days apart from Mikel Obi, who has not really played up to his potentials. The question is: How do we ensure this?

!. The NFF must be sanitised with Lulu, Ogunjobi and co being ousted from office. These guys cannot even run a coffee shop, not to talk of Nigerian football. People like Waidi Akanni, Kojo Williams and Segun Odegbami [ I have some reservations against him now ] have to come in and turn things around.
2. The NFF also has to launch a Youth Soccer Development Initiative that will focus on secondary school and grassroots football. This is where we can get the really young players. Everything indeed really starts and ends with the NFF though other bodies should be accomodated. The NFF must maintain a computer database of secondary school teams in the country and also work with the Games Masters of these schools. Producing young players will be to our own advantage in the long run. These players will not fade out quickly when they join foreign clubs.
3. Apart from the Shell Cup, the National Principals Cup has to be revived. This will provide the opportunity for great players to be spotted at the correct ages. Cheers.

The current Flying Eagles Squad can lift the trophy. With Coach Samson Siasia in charge, the sky is not even the limit. It is the starting point. I'm happy that a good number of the boys are home based. Siasia has never failed to give the home based players opportunities to shine. Siasia is a psychologist and there must be something he keeps telling the players that makes them play their hearts out. The home based players will put in a lot of effort as they want to get signed by foreign clubs. A lot of scouts from top clubs all over the world will be in Egypt to snap up talented players. I believe Siasia went for unknown players at the expense of already established guys because he knows they will deliver.

I don't see any reason why Siasia should not be appointed coach of the Super Eagles after Egypt 2009. He has already raised 3 generations of Players- Netherlands 2005, Beijing 2008 and the Egypt 2009 team. The NFF should stop playing dirty politics and allow Siasia to lead Nigeria to the next Nations Cup. We need to start planning for the 2014 World Cup immediately. This is my pick for Nigeria's next coaching squad:

Super Eagles Chief Coach: Samson Siasia
Super Eagles Assistant Coach 1: Sunday Oliseh
Super Eagles Assistant Coach 2: Simon Kalika [ Dutch Citizen and great strategist ]
Super Eagles Goalkeeper Coach: Any good trainer can be hired.
Super Eagles chief Scout: Michael Emenalo [ Emenalo currently works as Chief Scout for Chelsea FC of England ].

I could have added Steven Keshi to the list but I know there will be ego problems between him and Samson Siasia. Oliseh on the other hand will be an assistant Super Eagles coach while coaching the U-20 Squad at the same time. Cheers.

@FBS

You're doing a nice job as the moderator of this thread. This is the kind of moderating we need on Nairaland. I have picked up a lot of information on the thread. Keep the good work up. Let me go and create an update for my Facebook friends on the U-20 World Cup. Cheers.

@All

Lets not be too concerned with the defenceline line of the Flying Eagles. I believe Siasia knows what he is doing. Last year in Beijing, he converted Solomon Okoronkwo to a defender and the guy did well. Okoronkwo replaced Taiye Taiwo effectively. Though Kingsley Udoh and Alex Nkume are solid defenders, no one is irreplaceable. The remaining defenders will do a good job and I know Siaone must have motivated them with inspiring words. Let the tournament start!!!

Proudly9ja et al, Good idea, strategies and opinions. I have gone through the thread and I'm impressed with the way the issue has been thrashed out. However, I just borrowed a book from a friend and the book is making me reflect deeply. Fellow Nairalanders, please try and lay your hands on this book- '' What Is Wrong With Being Black?, Celebrating Our Heritage, Confronting Our Challenges'' by Matthew Ashimolowo. This book should be read by every Nigerian youth. I believe the origins and solutions to our problems as Nigerians and Africans lie in the book. Until we understand why the blackman has refused to develop even when the resources are available to him, we will continue chasing shadows. Keep up your positive spirit, guys. Cheers.

I am just laughing here. I guess southerners and foreigners on this thread will be laughing too. It's a Northern culture and I don't really see anything wrong with it. I remember I read somewhere that the fulani have this marriage ritual that involves the Bridegroom being flogged mercilessly to prove his courage and devotion to his wife to be. In Cyprian Ekwensi's '' The Passport of Mallam Ilia '', the deadly game of Shanchi [ fighing in a caged ring with daggers and weapons ] was engaged in by young men to win the hands of the pretty Zarah in marriage. The Bachelor Hunter culture is interesting. Before we know it, an American film producer might come across this thread while doing a google search for african traditions and customs, and quickly incorporate the Batchelor Hunting thing into his film. Pronto!, he has a box office hit Lets appreciate our culture, even though it might be sometimes weird.

If the shift system comes to stay in Nigeria, we'll start having casual bankers in the country. This means there will be a few permanent staff and more temporary workers. The temporary staff will definately not be paid large sums of money. Their work for the banks will be on a contract basis. Though most times, the casual staff will be sometimes more talented than the permanent staff. Knowing Nigerian Banks for what they are, they will start employing more casual workers for shift work just to cut costs. Now, a casual worker will not be too loyal to the bank he or she works for. This is because the casual banker can be chucked away anytime. It's just like having casual sex No Strings attached . Therefore, the shift bank worker would want to get all he or she can get before being shown the door for any reason. This is where the crime situation comes in.  Someone who knows his position is not secured and who's not honest will start playing his employers. If an opportunity to defraud bank customers come up, he or she will steal the money and do the sprints. The job had no benefits attached from the beginning, mates.

Nigeria has not gotten to the stage of the Western World when it comes to Banking and Financial services. How many Nigerian bank workers went through a thorough background check before they were employed? Already, there are scams occuring in the Nigerian banking system though most of them are covered up because the banks are scared they will lose their customers if the ugly news gets broken by the media. And those that participated in the scams were permanent workers who were trusted by their employers. Scams by dishonest shift workers will be worse off. I am also hazarding it that many of our banks do not have strong internal security systems for their computers. Many Nigerian banks are sick and they are merely deposit houses.

Nigerians need to start embracing new ideas and innovation. Introducing shift schedules into the Nigerian banking system has its advantages and disadvantages. More jobs will be created with the coming of the shift system. This means that more graduates will be employed thereby reducing unemployment. The shift system will also bring gifted individuals into our banks. There will be a large pool of talent to tap ideas and knowledge from. Hitherto, many of these talented bankers had not been able to break into the system because of lack of vacancies, and the '' Know me, get employed'' syndrome that currently obtains in Nigeria. The shift system will also reduce lethargy. On the other hand, due to the lack of a Criminal Records Bureau in Nigeria, artful fraudsters and criminals might infiltrate the banking system. Lots of scams will be orchestrated by shift workers with criminal minds. Nigeria does not have accurate records on people and the Police force is not that good in tracking criminals down. It will be very hard for our security services to apprehend bank fraudsters when they've not even had a successful crackdown on the Yahoo Boys Besides, I'm not sure many Nigerian banks can afford to pay shift workers for now. The crisis in the banking industry [ that is if Nigeria really has a banking industry ] has to be resolved first. Cheers.

I pray sometimes before I eat but not all the time. When I pray in the morning, I believe God will cover me throughout the day including when I decide to eat at a Restaurant or at home. I can't be bothered about making prayers a ritual. Cheers.

A Moderator should try not to be partisan because he or she holds the membership of the site in trust. However, Moderators have the power to terminate threads that are meaningless and checkmate bullies. Many threads on Nairaland die out because they are not interesting and the Moderators are not doing much to stimulate solid discussions. People should be able to log on to the site and be enlightened on various issues. Nairaland is being used as a benchmark to measure the intelligence of Nigerian youths. Sometimes, the Gutter language that is used on the site pisses me off. The threads should be more interactive. More grease to your elbows, Seun. Cheers.

@ Seun, you've made a good move by throwing the moderator positions open. It shows the good stuff you're made of. I am not really interested in moderating because I have too much projects in my hand. I simply won't have the time, mate. However, I have some advice for Nairalanders who are aspiring to be moderators. Here we go:

@ Aspiring Moderators and Assistants

Moderating on Forums is not a child's play. Apart from all the rules Seun Osewa has laid, you have to be very knowledgeable to keep the threads fresh. It is not just about holding the position, and banning and unbanning posters or contributors. A moderator has to constantly conceive new ways to keep a thread going. He or she must be able to come up with new angles and approaches to the issue being discussed. Good internet and archival research skills should be a virtue of Nairaland Moderators. Moderators should also be able to present their ideas clearly and possess good writing skills. I'm not saying you have to be another Wole Soyinka to be a good Moderator, but you've got to be good with words. A Moderator must also be able to edit posts and urge posters to come up with new angles to the information they provide.

Nairaland is growing in leaps and bounds and there are many foreigners travelling through the site. Seun, you need to get quality Moderators if you want to get solid investors. If you care to know, your site was discussed recently on the Jubilee Line on the London Underground recently.

I feel aspiring moderators should go to www.gumtree.com and check the site's forums. Look at how Bluey and Montezuma are doing their thing as Gumtree forum moderators. You can learn a thing or two from them. Have a nice weekend. Cheers.

You've all spoken well, fellow Nairalanders. However, we know nothing will change concerning the administration of football in Nigeria unless something drastic is done. The only hope for Nigerian football this year is the U-20 team currently training in Spain. Somehow, Samson Siasia has always stood out when our other sports teams are failing. Siaone is blessed. Lets forget about the Golden Eaglets. The U-17 team will not do well as we expect. Siasia is perfecting his techniques for the tournament in Egypt. I know he's having the last laugh now. Have you all noticed how players flock to Siasia anytime he's preparing for a tournament? The coach commands respect from Nigerian players all over the world. The players believe in him and play for him. Amodu is not good technically and he does not have the charisma that Siasia wields.

The Nigerian Media needs to do something that will inspire change in Nigerian football administartion. This is the plan. Let all the newspapers and magazines embark on a campaign for change in the NFF. Everyday for the next 3 months, let the newspapers and magazines carry interviews with past footballers who will have their say on how the NFF should be run and who should be the chairman and General Secretary of the body. Let the print and electronic MEDIA stop covering activities of the NFF and shun advances from Lulu and co to bribe them to carry stories that will deceive Nigerians. If this is done, the Federal Government will get the message and act swiftly. Things will start changing if the Nigerian Media shuns the NFF and their activities. Cheers.

Well, I don't really see anything wrong in taking alcohol. I can count the number of times I have taken alcohol on my fingertips. This does not however lead to me castigating others who drink regularly. The beer taken in Europe and the United States is light in alcoholic content, compared to the head spinning beer that is produced in Nigeria. What I don't like is excessive drinking which can lead to bad behaviour. Yeah, Alcohol can lead to death, but we shall all die of one thing or the other anyway. If you want to drink, drink responsibly. Cheers.

@Poster

You've started a good thread. However, I don't think there is any replacement for Gani at the moment. I'm gradually losing faith in Nigerian youths. Selfishness and mediocrity is destroying the positive values that Nigerian youths are supposed to hold. Crass ignorance is another disease that is destroying the youths. Gani Fawehinmi was a maverick lawyer and human rights activist, and that was why he was a great man. He did things differently and had his own mind. He was a visionary who built structures that will outlive him. He started the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports and was a mentor to many young lawyers in the country. I'm sorry to say this, but most Nigerian youths do not have a mind of their own. They are mostly followers and are slow to change. During my service year, I came across a lot of corpers who did not have lofty ideals or strong personal principles. They had started to embezzle money from camp as Platoon leaders and deputies. Go through history and read about the men and women who changed the destinies of their countries. They were mostly mavericks and deep thinkers who saw the future beyond what obtained presently. Gani Fawehinmi fought for the masses because he was seeing light at the end of the tunnel. 97% of Nigerian youths are not visionaries. And that is a great problem on its own.

I'm already developing cold feet as I think of the match. Amodu has to win this match if he does not want to get stoned by Nigerian Football supporters. It will be a tough game for the Super Eagles. The Tunisians will try to defend and try to score with swift counter-attacks. I need to go and get some cans of beer to calm down. I can't wait for the match to start. Hmn,

I am a graduate of the University of Ibadan and I've always believed there is something great about the school. I made good use of the Kenneth Dike Library while studying here. Congrats to all past and present Uites. And to all the Zikites in the house, you know what we stand for. We shall always walk tall and never stumble. Azikiwe, terror of the field. Baluba is magnificient. Undisputed UI Sports kings, Azikiwe Never Never fail. More beans and garri to your elbows. I salute

I think I have one or two things to say concerning this issue. Schooling abroad has its advantages and disadvantages. Nigerians love to generalize by having the belief that all schools in Europe and America are perfect. That is not the case. There are a lot of rubbish colleges and ' Universities ' abroad. They exist solely for helping african and Asian students abroad. These schools are sometimes set up ontop of fish and chips and Halal shops. Don't be deceived. The UK Government has decided to get rid of these schools through a fresh registration and visa process. Many Nigerian students cannot afford the fees of the elite universities in the UK and US, so they settle for smaller colleges that charge low fees in the range of £1800 pounds to £4000. The proprietors of these colleges do not care about attendance of lectures. Just pay the deposit fee and they'll sort you out. When the time for exams come, everything will be arranged for you. Meanwhile, you will be working and living your life. Is this the kind of education you want? Search your soul, Nairalanders.

How about Nigerian students who pay deposit fees in the good universities and colleges, go for classes, write exams and graduate, but cannot pay the remaining balance of their expensive fees? Therefore they can't collect their certificates. Many of them have to stay back, get married to a citizen of the country they are studying in and work hard to pay off their debts to the schools. It takes years to pay off the debts, mates. This is because you have other daily bills and issues to pay and attend to. Its easier when you're on scholarship. My advice is you should aim to study abroad on scholarships. Except you come from a rich family or your parents are part of the thieving Nigerian political class. Things will be rosy for you then. Many Nigerian students have had their hopes dashed when they arrived in Britain or America for Post Graduate Studies. Start thinking.

I have one belief and I cherish it greatly: '' You are who you are. If you're brilliant in Nigeria, you'll be brilliant abroad. If you're dull and stupid in Nigeria, you will be a jughead abroad'' Changing environments doesnt really change your values. You only get exposed to positive and negative influences. The choice is yours. Cheers.

I am enjoying this thread. The initiator of this thread deserves a lot of accolades. I still want to add one or two experiences. I mentioned two encounters with girls in my earlier post. Actually, I toasted other girls and some ladies fancied me too. Two of these girls stand out. Bukola attended the same primary school with me. We were not really close in Primary school but we lived in the same neighbourhood. It was when I was in High School that I mustered courage to approach her. She was pretty and her mom had a shop. She used to help her mum sell stuff in the shop. So I went there one night and started the wooing. She was just laughing. Her younger sister was watching us and I could see that she was angry with the two of us I just ignored her and focused on Bukky. Anyway, it was time to close the shop. I tried to help her in packing up. She stopped me from helping out. As she walked home, I continued the toasting. She did not give me a positive reply. They had a wicked dog in their house, So I could not continue my moves beyond the gate someone told me later that I should back off from chasing the girl because she was 'meat' for older guys [ Whatever that means ].

Years later at Uni, I came across Bukky again. We were more matured now. I saw her one day on campus and ignored her. As time went on, she was the one making attempts to get to me. By this time, my feelings for her were not deep again. Besides, the beauty was fading. Guess a lot of water had passed under the bridge There was a day we boarded the same inter-state bus together. She sat infront of me and I tried to ignore her. She looked at me and called my name. we chatted that day. Guess she knew the fire had burned out but we became friends. She is happily married now. The other girl is a lady whose beauty is out of this world. This girl is really beautiful. I have not seen a more beautiful lady in my life. Even other girls were admiring her. She had class and was sophisticated. Fola was her name. Men, the guys were after her The chasing and wooing was too much. We were in Journalism school then. We never really had a relationship but she made her moves towards me. I was on top of the world when she said the deep words. She always watched out for me. I used to wonder what she saw in me when other guys chasing her had money and cars. There was a time I refused to speak to her because I felt she was a mermaid I felt she was sent to bring me to the Kingdom of the Queen of the Coast. How could a lady be so beautiful? Don't laugh o. This is a serious matter. Rememeber there was this book by Emmanuel Eni then '' Delivered From The Power of Darkness '' That was whwere all those mermaid and Queen of The Coast ideas came from. I've grown out of that now. Fola weas a lovely girl. Very delectable. We parted ways after we finished the Course. I heard she is in France now and is modelling. Those days were sweet. We were innocent then. Cheers.

This is really a nice topic. I remember I helped some of my friends write love letters to girls in secondary school and it often worked for them. I had a way with words and my friends would give me money or some provisions to compose letters they wanted to use to woo girls in town. On the other hand, it was a girl that first toasted me. She was pretty, dark and a bit athletic. WAEC was just some months away and I was in the library studying very hard. Suddenly, a junior student tapped me on my shoulders and told me someone was calling me. I turned around and there she was was looking at me.  She was some few seats away. She smiled and used her fingers to beckon on me to come. I rose up and went to sit by her side. She was so bold and told me what she felt about me. I was just speechless. During the break time, she introduced me to her female friends. I just didn't know what she saw in me. We never really had time to get intimate before we graduated from High School. Besides, I never knew how to get her into bed because I knew most of our mates were at it   Those were the days of innocence

The first girl I toasted myself was Tayo. That was in the University. I just like her and her cropped hair. She was studying law and she was just too cute. I commented her on her looks through a written note I slipped to her in the library. She read the note but did not look up. I left for my hall later and as I was walking around, I saw her passing through the hall.  She looked at me and smiled. We talked and she gave me her room number but told me she was hardly around due to fellowship commitments. we became friends but did not see each other often. Then there was a day I was at the library and I saw her whispering to another girl '' That's him. He likes me ''. Tayo followed me upstairs but by then I had already become close to another girl. The two girls knew each other and when Tayo saw me with her, she walked away. That was the end of it. Love is good and when you find your soulmate, love can be very sweet and interesting.  Cheers.