Growing up on the streets of Lagos,Nigeria- I have always believed that I am a GOAT.
I mean, I can be very stubborn at doing something;no matter how well you scold me,demoralise or emotionally, negatively attack me,I just never give up. This earned a even more glorious title of the GOAT;one defined as different from the animal GOAT and the stubbornness (think of any other meaning associated to the GOAT) figuratively attached to the noun: GOAT.
Playing street soccer made me a superstar. In all of the five streets in our Local Government,I was the highest goal scorer. I was popularly celebrated as a child who loves to play football growing up. We were on the field one wicked sunny afternoon and I had to be chosen to replace our injured goal keeper. I swear I didn't know that I had EYEAMA goal keeping skills in me;my plan was just to do some horrible goal keeping and be replaced. Unluckily for me,I was so good at keeping that I stopped being chosen to kicking football to catching and shielding football. A new highest goal scorer was discovered and I kept struggling at my new position(an observation my street soccer team mates would not agree to).
My mum built a new house and we moved. Happy thinking that my goal keeping luck would end but it only continued to great heights. Throughout my secondary school education,I was forced against by will by friends,teachers,coaches and DESTINY to retain goal keeping.
Then I gained admission to the university and things changed. I stayed in the hostel and there was so much football action for everyone and also,yes,for me: not as a goal keeper but as a ball kicker.
I didn't risk anything or waste any time to return to my goal scoring strides.So many years and Two weeks after I resumed kicking football,I scored 100 goals already. It was like waiting for so long to have sex,and finally when you got the chance; a fingerfinger from the lady and sperm starts gushing out from your dick. They didn't know how psychologically ready I have being preparing.
I joined the school team and after watching so much football videos on YouTube, I still couldn't make the first team. Eventually,when I got the chance to play, I was talked into catching football because of my height. "Like seriously",my reply at the coach offer. I mean being tall means I can be a good header and score the die minute winning goal for the team. Nothing says my height is for goal keeping.
I struggled at goal keeping, committing so many unforgivable errors causing numerous unforgivable goals. Then one day, I decided to quit the team. I did . Then they came back to me to show up for another training which I did agsin, very hopeful and doing a lot of practice. Finally,after training that day,I was picked to be the top stroker for the next match.
I couldn't sleep for days leading to that match.
Matchday came, I was so excited. We started the match and for 5 minutes my legs didn't touch the soccer ball; very embarrassing. Exactly,in the 7th minutes of the first half of the game I was substituted; very shameful. My team won and I cried heavily; tears of joy they thought,beca because we needed that match to progress to the knock out stages.
Two years to graduation from the University,I was officially approached to be their goal keeper. The previous one had graduated. I agreed with full understanding of how you can't escape DESTINY. We made really Sweet memories and I became great at keeping the ball as time went on. I graduated as the goal keeper of my department with a gold and silver medal from two different competitions. As a player of the ball, neither I or my team won anything. The last I played, I was awarded the Greatest player Of All Time(GOAT) for that year but most importantly,I enjoyed the audience clapping and hailing me; the same people who embarrassed and abused me for my 7 minutes display.
I finally concluded that I am all of the definition of a GOAT; including being stubborn and adamant,if the words are not synonymous.