₦airaland Forum

@ebogentle, nice one.

Well, here is my take on this topic. Except you are the child of a politician, industrialist or you come from a wealthy family, studying abroad is not easy, especially in the UK and North America. Apart from not being allowed to work for more than 20 hours per week [ in some ocountries, you can only work on campus initially i.e Canada ] , there are other challenges you will face. You will have to pay for your accomodation [ if you don't have relatives to house you ], pay bills, feed and clothe yourself etc etc. I don't want to bore you with these callenges cos I guess you already know them all. However, where there is a will, there is always a way out. There are so many ways you can earn money these days without abusing your working rights as an international student. You don't need to work more than 20 hours with your NI or social security Number. You can raise money to pay your fees if you follow my suggestions:

1. Trading on ebay, gumtree or Alibaba.com: People are making a lot of money by selling things on ebay. If you get the products that move, you will be smiling in a matter of months. However, you have to learn the secrets of trading on ebay by doing some research on the internet. You will also need to attend local auctions and boot sales to get the goods you will resell on ebay. The same method applies to Alibaba.com and gumtree. Phones, electrical products, clothes, shoes, computers sell well on these sites. The key is getting cheap but efficient goods from auctions and fayres and reselling them at higher prices. For ebay, you will need to set up a paypal account. For Gumtree, the buyer pays you cash. Dunno much about Alibaba.com. Do your research. You will need to have a digital camera for these trading ideas.

2. Doing Cash In Hand Jobs: These kind of jobs are widely available in Britain, though you need to provide an Identification that shows you're eligible to work in the UK. If you speak good english, have good looks and you're confident, you can start promoting night clubs, comedy clubs and bars and get paid cash daily. Another way of earning non taxable money is by working as a leaflet distributor. This Leaflet Distribution industry is not regulated and if you develop a good friendship wiith your employer, you could be earning loads of money. You can also get a reference [ which is difficult to get these days ] from the company or individual you deliver leaflets for. It should be noted that leaflet distribution is a tough job though but if you're serious with it, you can pay your bills with the job. You can do it for 3-5 hours daily. Leaflet Distribution should be done when you are searching for other jobs. It provides you with extra money for food, clothes and can pay your rent if you're dogged enough. You can approach eateries and businesses yourself and tell them you can distribute their leaflets and flyers. Restaurants will even give you free food sometimes if the owners like the work you're doing

3. Writing jobs online: If you're good with words, you can earn good money blogging and writing online. Online writing jobs are available these days. Many companies are looking for freelancers and contributors to their online publications. If you're good enough, you can make a decent income by churning out words for cash. The money will not be much initially, but as time goes on, you will have more clients and more writing jobs. Do a google search for writing jobs.

Above all, you have to be focused with your studies. Try and make good grades and make sure you graduate and get your certificates. Also learn to manage your time well. Cheers.

This thread should not have made it to the front page of Nairaland It is really sickening. Pure Rubbish!!!

@cvibe, you are making a lot of sense on this thread. I'm feeling you so much I 'll come back to give my own ideas and opinions concerning this issue. Cheers.

NO, Nigerians are not patriots and many of them don't believe in the manifest destiny of the country. Nigeria is currently about 250 nations occupying a common geographical space. The different tribes are at each other's throats , and that is why when a leader comes from a particular tribe, he brings his people in and gives them juicy positions .  How can Nigerians be patriotic when the state has done absolutely nothing for them!! I can't remember anything that I've enjoyed as a Nigerian   as compared to what my counterparts in Europe and America are enjoying. There are no Government initiated social schemes that will make life easier for Nigerians. Moving around Nigeria, you can hardly see well equipped Public Libraries, solid sports centres and parks, functional public toilets, information centres etc. The Nigerian Government does not even have a solid health scheme for the people There is no accurate information on the Nigerian population which will help the government to plan well for the people. The Nigerian Passport has been bastardised and History as a subject is dying in our schools   So how can Nigerians be patriotic? What pains me most is that we do not have many Nigerian youths who are willing to stand up and use their intellect to grab the bull by the horns and effect changes in their local communities. Nigerians will follow a youth who can create opportunities out of nothing for people in his or her community. Patriotism starts from inspiring people in your community by doing something positive for them. Cheers.

I joined Nairaland early this year and I must confess that this site has the power to effect changes in Nigeria. People keep joining the site daily but it seems Nigerians are not bold enough to take the destiny of the country into their hands. President Barack Obama used Facebook to sign up about 2 million supporters during his race to the White House. Obama was adept at using new technologies to boost his campaign and he succeeded I get pissed off when Nigerians create forums and start off groups on Facebook without them really willing to put in the hardwork that will produce results. The internet can be used to effect changes in any country. There are so many tools on the web that Nigerian youths can tap into to better their lives. Instead, many of our youths use the web only to chat and dupe others.

A couple of months ago, I responded to a young man's request on Nairaland about how to start a business with 150,000 Naira. I gave out my email addy and told him to get in touch with me. Before I knew it, I was flooded with requests for Business ideas I sent business ideas to them all and gave them links on the web that they can use to garner more information. The painful thing is that I have not heard from any of these Nairalanders about the progress they've made concerning the business ideas. I have discovered that many people only come on Nairaland to find things for themselves and not to look for like minded Nigerians who want to change things in their home country. Until we change this abnormal individualistic approach to issues concerning the development of Nigeria, things will remain the same. Cheers.

Nairaland is great. Seun Osewa has done well. Facebook is not bad either, but I feel we should celebrate our own. It is high time Nigerians start appreciating themselves. Let us encourage people like Seun and other innovators in Nigeria. By now, companies in Nigeria should be thinking of advertising on Nairaland. That is another topic to be discussed entirely. Cheers.

We should also be careful about this belief that cleaning and other odd jobs are done by Nigerians and other africans in Europe The recession is bringing out the hardwork in white British people. White britons are increasingly doing cleaning jobs and working in factories these days. Benefits are being cut daily, and Benefit fraud investigators are pounding the sidewalks and knocking on doors to investigate benefit claims. Claiming benefits has been made difficult and white people are being forced to work. Nairaland is full of posters who generalize hastily. Where has logic and deep thinking gone to?

Guys and Gals, anywhere you decide to live in is a matter of choice and circumstances. I am someone that believes in attaining my manifest destiny. Many Nigerians move to Europe and North America because they are not happy with the state of things in the country. No one should be condemned for looking for greener pastures. Some people are destined to live in Europe while others are not. I know of a Nigerian graduate who after searching for a job endlessly for years after graduation, decided to emigrate to Britain. His friend in London [ who had become a British citizen ] invited him and sent money for his visa fees. The initial plan was for him to come on a 6 month visit visa and later sort himself out [ whatever that means ]. This Nigerian graduate applied for the visa at the British Embassy ansd a strange thing happened Instead of being given his 6 months visit visa, he was given an Indefinite leave to remain in Britain!! I'm not lying here, Nairalanders. The guy scanned the visa page to his friend in Britain, and his friend was speechless . The Nigerian graduate is in Britain now and has even brought his siblings to the UK.

Nigeria is not also a bad place to live in, though our leaders are very myopic, corrupt and greedy. There are some people who are destined to make it in Nigeria. If they make the mistake of emigrating to Europe or America, they'll regret it. We should always make God central to all our plans. God has the final word in all our decisions. A cousin of mine went to the UK on a student visa. He was working for a courier company in Nigeria but things were rough for him. He was also growing old and found it hard to get a suitable woman in Nigeria. It was as if evil forces were aginst him marrying [ Mind you, his elder brother was unmarried and had been made an slowpoke when he was younger by unknown people ]. Anyway, my cousin came to the UK and began his studies. Less than three months into his stay in England, something strange happened . He was in a park with his friends one saturday when a white lady walked up to him and started a conversation. She turned out to be a nurse and was really intersted in knowing him more. My cousin did not toast her o. She was the one that sought him out. One thing led to the other and they are married today. Ever since my cousin met the white woman, things have ben looking up for him. That is why I will never condemn Nigerians anywhere they are. We all have different destinies and we can't explain why things happen. I have tasted the power of prayers and I know God takes care of his own anywhere they are in the world. I know of people without papers who own houses in Britain. And there are legitimate Nigerians in Britain, who have nothing and are struggling and have been struggling for years.

Anywhere you find yourself, always give thanks to the lord and strive to help your peeps in Nigeria. Cheers.

Well, here they go again  I hope these new set of power projects will not become white elephant projects. There is no need to waste time beating about the bush. The Federal Government should award the contract to the Canadians [ Any reputable power company in Canada will do the job ]. Canada is even supplying some parts of the United States electricity. I also think it is time the Federal Government starts conducting research into how the weather, natural resources and mineral deposits of each region in Nigeria can be used to provide electricity for the inhabitants. This is what the canadians and scandinavians are good at. We should start looking at tapping power from the sun for Northern Nigeria [ Solar energy ], Using Coal to light up Eastern Nigeria [ also looking at exploiting waterfalls, rivers [ Oguta lake ] and streams in the area to generate energy ], Southern Nigeria can be powered by a combination of the sun, water and Nuclear energy [ Ondo state has solid mineral resources that can be used to power the region ].

Above all, sincerity of purpose and honesty is what we need from those behind the new power projects. $4.6 billion [ we need more than that to power Nigeria ] is a good start. The projects should not be handed to Asians, please Just look at how Canada is using the Niagara falls to power the provinces of their country.

President Yar'Adua should also consult Nigerian engineers on the project. Fellow Nairalanders, check out this site:

www.justalternativepower.com

A Nigerian based in Nigeria has begun a silent revolution in generating electrical power for individual Nigerians. We have geniuses in Nigeria o . Have a great day. Cheers.

Ibadan is the city I would love to live in. Man, this city has so much potentials and it is the largest city in West Africa. It has a solid history and has very important Nigerians residing in it. No wonder, Wole Soyinka wrote a book about Ibadan. Many eminent Nigerians schooled in the city's institutions- Government College, Ibadan, University of Ibadan [ Nigeria's Premier University ], St Annes school, Molete, Ibadan Boys High School, Ibadan Grammar School etc etc Ibadan also has the honour of having the tallest building in Nigeria- Cocoa House. Ibadan is too much joo

It is cheap to live in Ibadan and you can get foodsuff at good prices at the Bodija market or Dugbe Market. I schooled in the city so I know what I'm saying. I can write an encyclopaedic article about Ibadan on this thread but I've got other things to do. It is just saddening that the Oyo State government is not visionary enough. I know Ibadan will be the city to beat when a solid Governor comes to power in the near future. Ibadan, my Ibadan. I know some Nigerians that live in Ibadan and workl in Lagos. They drive to Lagos daily [ leave by 6am in the morning and resume work at 9am in Lagos. They leave lagos by 6pm and they are back in Ibadan by 8.30-9.00pm ]. Professor Jide Osuntokun was one of them when he was lecturing in UNILAG. Ibadan remains my city of choice. Cheers.

The Federal Government should forget about ID cards for now. We have to get our information and data collection systems right before embarking on the project. Nigeria is not even ripe for a scheme like this now. Poverty and infrastructural problems should be tackled immediately. Even Britain which has good record keeping techniques is taking its time in introducing ID cards on a widescale. Not to talk of Nigeria where record keeping is rubbish

Amodu Shuaibu is not a terrible coach, but I think he should be relieved of his position. He is simply not good enough. He has not been able to stamp his authority on the team and the players do not take his instructions seriously. Nigerian football is in serious decline and we need a no nonsense Coach/Team Manager to tinker the Super Eagles. However, before a new coach is hired, the NFF needs to be sanitised Sani Lulu and the other visionless guys in the Glass House need to go. They are impeding the growth of Nigerian Football. I don't understand why FIFA does not allow the intervention of the Federal Government in NFF affairs. If the NFF wants to stand on its own, it should stop collecting subventions from the government. It is okay with Sepp Blatter for the NFF to be funded by the government, but not acceptable to FIFA for the Presidency to have a say in how the NFF is run. Blatant hypocrisy  That is why Lulu and his cabinet will continue to run Nigerian football into the doldrums. Nigerian football needs a re-engineering that will take several years to blossom. Ghana did the same thing and their soccer is flourishing. We have to go back to the drawing board and fashion out a new blueprint for Nigerian football.

Getting a new coach is not the most important thing to do now. Our football needs to be restructured from the ground up. Any coach that we employ now will not succeed because the system is flawed. I'm advocating that we follow the German way of football development and administration:

1. Developing A Fluid Academy System: It is time we stopped using overaged players in FIFA and CAF Youth competitions. It does not help us in the long run. We need to be futuristic in our thinking if we want to be world beaters in football. The NFF needs to have a National Soccer Academy that will work with private academies in the country. This National Soccer Academy will work closely with all Primary and secondary schools in the country including Federal Government colleges. The Academy will maintain a database of all the schools in Nigeria on their computers. It is good that we have the Pepsi Football Academy already but the NSA will be in partnership with other academies. We have thousands of talented footballers in our Primary and secondary schools, who can be discovered early by the games masters of these schools who will be reporting to the NSA. The National Soccer Academy will also work with Professional and Amateur clubs in the country by persuading them to sign young footballers from our secondary schools who are on their database. This will help these youngsters who are mostly between the ages of 14-17 to have professional football experience. It is very possible to select a real U-17 team from our secondary schools and the National Soccer Academy. The NSA will also have hundreds of coaches and trainee coaches who will visit different secondary schools in different regions of the country constantly to scout for players. These coaches will also be present at Inter-Secondary school football tournaments and work closely with the Games Masters of these schools. All the outstanding players will now be recruited into the NSA which will have a centre in all the state capitals. The NSA does not need to have new offices built in the state capitals. The Pitch Of a particular secondary school will serve as the training pitch and a office can be rented in the secretariat of the state. It is not about huge sums of money, but deep thinking and planning. Great strategy, so to speak. In Germany and other European countries,real  U-17 and U-20 players are already playing for top clubs. This is because these countries have a functional academy system that does not depend on the government for funding, but looks for private sponsorship.

2. Tapping Into Diasporean Football Talent: Germany and other European countries are really good at snapping up players of foreign parentage. These are players that were born in Germany but whose parents are from another country. Current German National team players like Lukas Podolski, Stefan Klose, Boateng etc have Polish and Ghanaian parents. We need to do the same in Nigeria. Yeah, we have Osaze Odemwingie but we need to get more of his kind who were born and grew up in a culture of commitment to duty and excellence. There are many players of Nigerian origin scattered all over the world. They have the needed talent that will take Nigerian football to the desired heights. Foreign born players bring a lot of bite and energy to the National Squads of their country of origin. One of the best defenders in the history of our football is Reuben Agboola. He was born in England but decided to play for the Super Eagles. We all know what he did at Senegal 92. Agboola was a good player and was very responsible. The NFF has to spread its tentacles wide to recruit these players who were born abroad. Thank God we have the internet which makes things easier.

3. The NFF has to stop going cap in hand to the Federal Government for funding and starting generating income by itself. The NFF must become a marketable organization that will not be relying on grants from the Government and Private bodies. What stops the NFF from starting a National Football Lottery with the proceeds being used to fund and organize friendly matches for our national teams? Why can't the NFF start producing merchandise and publications that football loving Nigerians can buy? Members of the NFF should go and observe how the English FA runs the country's football. They'll learn a lot from the Europeans.

I used to think Samson Siasia was capable of handling the Super Eagles, but I've been proved wrong Siasia's CV has been dented by the poor performance of the Flying Eagles @ Egypt 2009. The Bayelsa Indigene has to win back my love for him by giving Nigerians a good response to his recent failure by handling a Nigerian clubside and winning the African Champions League. I need a great response from you, Mr Siasia. That is one thing I like about Europe. When you perform badly at your job or in other matters, you are given a chance to give a good response to your shortcoming. Carlo Ancelotti asked for a good response from Chelsea Players after the 1-3 loss to Wigan FC. Drogba, John Terry, Juliano Belleti, Michael Essien, Ballack and co gave the coach what he wanted by spanking Liverpool 2-0. Above all, the NFF has to give Nigerians a good response by getting rid of Amodu shuaibu and following the advice I gave above. Then, the current NFF members themselves should apologise to Nigerians and resign honourably. Cheers

I was the worst marcher in my Platoon and the soldier managing and drilling my platoon hated me initially. I refused to come out for the Platoon's Man O'War exercises and hated all the robotic marching drills. I was always grumbling and lagging behind when we were jogging in the mornings. The Platoon commandant wanted to deal with me but he backed off when he saw my ID with my surname.  I enjoyed the service year though

Everyone is entitled to their opinions or beliefs on Nairaland. No one has the power to say reasonable people should not post on this lovely site. If my comments do not make sense or are abusive, I would have been banned by Seun Osewa and his moderators. One of the reasons why Nigeria remains a stallion that has been tied down, is that we Nigerians do not appreciate the intellectual efforts of each other. Infact, it is a deep problem of the blackman The average Nigerian or African is not in support of the actions of his brother. The whiteman plays the blackman against his own kind. That is what is happening in the world today. I'm not ditching the UNDP report and saying it does not contain some elements of truth in it. It is clear that Nigeria is not pulling her weight in the comity of nations. We need to have better leaders and social institutions that will offer basic services to the people. Every World Report is relative, mark you. Nigerians need to change their mindsets and work for the greater good of the country. We should all be accountable in our little spheres of influence. Everyone blames the politicians for being corrupt, but what have we done with the little funds put at our disposal? We hate to hear the truth in Nigeria

1. The NYSC Program: Everyone points accusing fingers at the government for not funding the scheme properly, but no one questions the State Coordinators, Zonal Inspectors, Financial Directors and other officials about the corruption going on in the organization What have the officials I have mentioned done with the funds allocated to them? Is the government to be blamed for the collapse of the NYSC farms and feed mills? Has the EFCC bothered to go after past NYSC State directors? Hmnn.
2. ASUU keeps going on strike every now and then, but has the union bothered to ask the respective university authorities about what has been happening to internally generated revenue  on our campuses? What has our respective university authorities been doing with money raised from businesses and commercial entities on our campuses? I have a lot of questions to ask our VIce Chancellors One of them is this- Can you provide documents that show how you spent the quarterly grants [ this runs into hundreds of millions ] allocated to your university by the FG? Let me stop here on this point.

It is clear that we are all guilty of the problems besetting Nigeria. However, we hate to admit this fact Many Nigerians are busy stealing the country blind in their small spheres of influence. Yet, they open their mouths to bemoan the state of the nation. Look at the state of the Nigerian Police Money is allocated to the Police force, but the Inspector General decides to embezzle the money while his officers suffer. Are we going to blame the President of Nigeria for that problem? Local Government Chairman and Councillors have failed to connect with their people because they do not have what it takes to govern. The task before us all is how to enlighten people around as to the real problems why Nigeria has failed to develop. And we ourselves play a big role in that problem due to our attitudes, value systems and mindset. Cheers.

I am someone that is very wary of assumptions, and that is why I take time to do my research well before making comments on Nairaland and other forums on the world wide web. I don't want to beat about the bush, but permit me to share some current statistics with you here:

1. Financial fraud has soared in Britain by more than 70% in the last year. According to the head of the City of London Police, Commisioner Mike Bowron, '' increasing numbers of lawyers, valuers, accountants and insurance brokers are becoming involved in sophisticated scams. The value of reported frauds in the UK is estimated to be about £20 billion now, compared to an estimated £14 billion in 2005''- London Lite, October 7, 2009.

2. One of Britain's most notorious criminals was convicted today of a £1million plot to smuggle cannabis into Jersey. Curtis Warren, the only drug trafficker to be included in the Sunday Times Rich List, is facing years in jail [ This guy plotted the busted attempt while serving a 10-year sentence in a Dutch Prison for drugs trafficking and manslaughter ] - Evening Standard, 7 October 2009.

3. Job cuts in Europe are the order of the day. British Airways is set to axe about 1,700 cabin crew jobs while the airline is trying to reduce the take home pay of new staff with salaries climbing down to £14,000 a year from £20,000. Whole stores have gone into administration and have been closed down.

The crimes being committed in the western world are more than what obtains in Nigeria. By 8pm at night, most streets in London have fewer people on them. I still don't know why the criminal activities of some Nigerians are quickly showcased in large print in European and American Newspapers, while the spine-chilling criminal acts of Italian drug cartels and other European are given little attention. If Nigerian leaders can reduce the poverty in the country, Nigeria will become a better place to live in than most western nations. Bad leadership is stifling the growth of Nigeria. We have too many bad administrators in office at different levels of governance. Leaders who cannot think correctly and are not visionaries will achieve nothing in office. Honestly, the greatest challenge before Nigerian youths and the Nigerian Media now is to ensure that good leaders are voted into office come 2011 and 2015. We need credible people to steer the ship called Nigeria. No nation becomes great when a good number of her citizens are living in other countries. Israel did not become a nation to be reckoned with until the jews were expunged from Germany and persecuted by Adolf Hitler. After the Holocaust, Jews all over the world [ including the ones in Ethiopia ] created their country in the Middle East with some supervision from Britain and the USA. Today, Israel is a great nation that cannot be threatened by just any country.

We have all what it takes to shed the label of '' Developing Nation '' that has been cast on our country, and become an Industrialized country. No matter how sweet living in Europe and America seems to be, we should remember that we are africans and we have a country of our own. There is no place like home. I want you to ask yourself this question today: '' What small project can I carry out in Nigeria that will affect the lives of the citizens positively? '' Cheers.

@Bidemi12

Don't get it twisted. I think you should do your research properly. I'm comfortable and I'm not working for anybody. I'm not in debt or living on credit. I think you need to look at the big picture. I am not saying Nigerians should not travel abroad. Immigration has always been a constant thing. And please stop generalizing. Do you know the real reasons why Nigerian youths are rushing to Europe and America? Just because you're lucky enough to have papers does not give you the right and moral justification to badmouth others who are striving to survive in the western world. I am widely travelled and I'm not tied to a particular country. It is really disgusting to come on Nairaland and see Nigerians who have managed to get their papers abroad criticize and chastise those who are struggling to become legal. I'm not illegal, mind you 80% of criminals in Europe are not Nigerians. Do you know the horrible crimes Turkish people and East Europeans are commiting in Europe? Turkish gangs are currently engaged in a war in London, shooting each other dead. Read British Newspapers online, mate. Don't get too cosy with Britain, Bidemi. Nigeria is stagnated because of people like you who think nothing can be done to save our country And what problems are we facing in Nigeria that can not be surmounted? You need to read through my earlier post again to understand my flow. It seems you don't have good reading skills. People have their own problems concerning '' papers '' in Europe, and I pray they sort themselves out in the near future.

@Nethacker

I am Redman, a proud Nigerian who's lucky enough to be blessed with a fertile mind, intelligence and deep research skills. Like God said to Moses. '' I am that I am''.

This is a solid thread. There is no country in the world that is perfect. The good thing about countries in Europe, North America and Australia and New Zealand, is that the governements of these nations have provided basic amenities and public services for their citizens. That is what the Nigerian government has perpertually failed to do. There are poor people in the developed nations who have failed to take advantage of the opportunities their leaders have provided. It is about time Nigerians stop seeing Britain, Canada and the USA as places to go to or die trying to enter. These countries have problems of their own. The recession is taking its toll on people in the advanced world. Last week, three ATM machines were removed from the walls of a shopping mall in East London. How the criminals removed the machines without making any noise beats my imagination The machines had lots of cash in them. It goes to show the desperation people are living in here.

In Britain, you'll see a lot of people driving nice cars and living in cool houses. However, a good scrutiny will reveal that some of the cars were bought on credit and mortgages are continously being paid on the houses. The strange thing is that at the end of the day, if you fail to pay the monthly mortgage rates, the house may be taken from you and given to another person. The money you've paid in the past hardly matters. I have seen people paying around 780-980 pounds monthly as their mortgage fees monthly for a 2 bedroom house. The next time you come across a white man or woman in Nigeria, please don't think they are better than you. Some of them travelled to Africa on volunteer work on the back of government grants. The government paid for the trip and also gives them upkeep money to take care of themselves. The British Government is currently encouraging youths in the country to go on volunteer work outside the United Kingdom. This is because many of these youths are finding it difficult to find proper jobs in Britain. These British youths are not ready to take up the tough jobs that immigrants are doing. I have come across Africans who bemoan their fate in Europe, especially Britain, but are scared of coming back to Nigeria. Crime is soaring in Britain today. Homes are being broken into and cars are stolen daily. It is shocking to come on Nairaland and read the comments about the crime levels in Nigeria. The British Police is having a tough time combating crime these days. Murders are committed daily and are people go missing in Britain too. However, the good thing about Britain is the criminals are mostly apprehended and locked up.

What makes America and Europe look good is the social infrastructure and social services available. The Nigerian government owes us in this regard. We are not asking our leaders to provide us with food, jobs or homes to live in. Let them just provide the basic services-

1. Provide constant electricity: This should be their number one goal. Electricity is what drives the development of a nation. All possible ways of ensuring constant power should be exploited and exhausted.
2. Provide water: All the state water corporations should be privatized and sold off to investors. Nigerians need to start paying for water services. Foreign companies should be invited to provide water services to the masses who are willing to pay for clean water.
3. A National Health Service has to be developed and Nigerians should be made to pay a yearly contribution towards it. There will be different grades of payment for the different classes of citizens. From around 1000-10,000 Naira yearly. Once a person pays the Health Service dues, he or she will be given a ID Card and number [ secret number ] that will let him or her be treated in selected hospitals and clinics all over the nation. For this to work, the Nigerian government has to develop its information systems and have a medical database of citizens.
4. The Federal Agency reponsible for roads maintenamce should be strenghtened and well funded. The bitumen deposits in Ondo State should be put to good use. Youth Corpers who studied Engineering should be made to serve with the Road Maintenance Agencies in different states during their service year.

I could go on and on, but I guess we all know what to do concerning the development of Nigeria. All these global development ratings are mostly done by arm-chair professors and critics who did not bother to travel down to the countries they are assessing and see things for themselves. And what did I just hear on the radio now? Wheelie Bins being stolen in London  Who says poor people and criminals are not in London? Have a great day, mates.

Merida? Who cares about him? That was how Spain was tipped to win the FIFA Confederations Cup and yet lost out There will be a lot of surprises in this tournament and the Flying Eagles will pull a shock victory today against the Spaniards. Cheers.

It is going to be a cracker of a game. The Flying Eagles will play with a lot of caution as they press for a victory. I am also praying that the likes of Harmony Ikande and Mohammed Shagari will recover from their injuries in time for the last group game and the 2nd round. I see Nigeria qualifying for the second round and even the Quarter Finals. Uche Okafor has not done badly as the Goalkeeper of the team. The boy has a bright future. It is clear that he will be in goal against Spain today. Siasia must have learnt his lessons after the painful loss to Venezuela. It is painful that we'll miss Rabiu Ibrahim due to injury. However, I believe we will win. The victory will come in a dramatic fashion. God will hear our prayers because the team is committed to the task ahead. Lets look at the possibilities and not the circumstances we are in-

1. After beating Spain today, the group will be thrown open. Spain will want to beat Venezuela in the last match but the Venezuelans might spoil the day for the Spaniards with a draw. It is very likely that Venezuela will beat Tahiti today but not with a wide margin like Spain did. Things are looking good for Nigeria. We just need to beat Spain today to start thinking of the second round. I will keep praying.
2. I believe we will meet Venezuela again in this tournament and we'll get our revenge. By then many of the injured players will be fit.
3. Our defence is our weakest link but I know the boys will rise up to the occasion today.

Cheers All.

Osaze deserves to win. He is committed and always gives his best everytime. He's also a gifted footballer with pace and vision. I believe he is doing well because he carries a western mentality. He does not think like an average Nigerian player. I just love his style of doing things.

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.