Otubanjo wows the world on You Tube

BORN TO THRILL...LOVES TO PRAY!

Real Deal: Oladinho Otubanjo

He is audacious enough to give his name a Brazilian touch and today Yusuf Olaitan (Oladinho) Otunbanjo is the new real deal in town as he dazzles the world on You Tube with his velvet skill right inside his bedroom.

To say that Oladinho is born to thrill is perhaps stating the obvious. Footballers often show their dexterity on the pitch but Oladinho takes the game further right into his bedroom as he juggled the ball with an élan that would make the Lionel Messis, Cristiano Ronaldos and Austin Okochas of this world green with envy.

Yet the Nigerian youth international who is presently on the book of Spanish side Atletico Madrid, has attributed his ingenuity with the ball not only to years of practise but a perfect gift from God.

“To the glory of God, I was born with the talent to play football,” Oladinho, a self-confessed addict of Brazilian football, told National LIFE Sport.

“I’m always happy because God actually deposited in me, the talent to play football. With all modesty, I don’t think anybody can say I’m the one that taught him this or that. It’s a gift from God and I pray God should continue to guide me.

 “Of course, I love prayers. Prayer to God is the master key to the progress in my career. I love praying because I realise from the beginning that I can’t achieve much without the help of God. I’m very grateful to God for all what I have achieved so far in my career. With God on my side, I can achieve greater things.”

  Soccer is indeed Oladinho’s first love. He captained his Alma matter, Ijebu Ode Grammar School on his way to Julius Berger Feeder Team, Gateway Football Club of Abeokuta and now turning out for the youth team of Atletico Madrid.

“I have every reason to be grateful to God,” stated the ever-smiling Oladinho who would be 19 on September 12.

 “I’m yet to recover from the disappointment of missing out of the national Under-23 team that went to the CAF Olympic Football Tournament in Morocco. I felt I was good enough to be included in the team but I was not lucky to be chosen by the coaches. It was painful because I sacrificed everything including my first team position at my club for the pre-tournament camping but I was not picked eventually.”

It is said that nature abhors vacuum as Oladinho soon found out that he is no longer guarantee a shirt on getting back to his Spanish team. Yet he remains upbeat despite obvious challenges.

“I had to start at the zero level again in spite of the fact that I’m one of the team’s top scorers before I left for the Under-23 camp,” revealed the lad who was a member of the Golden Eaglets that nearly won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2009.

“Time and again, I have proved that I love playing for my country. I represented Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup in 2009 and I felt the Under-23 is another stepping stone towards my ambition of playing for the Super Eagles one day.

“Playing for the Super Eagles is a dream for me and I would work towards this dream. I learnt that the Super Eagles’ new coach, Stephen Keshi is interested in using younger players. That is good but my focus now is to do well with my club and I know my lucky break would come soon. I considered myself very lucky to be playing football and I know God has a purpose for me. On my part, I would continue to work, work and work.”

Young players are prone with the danger of being sidetracked but Oladinho is not oblivious of the fact that many budding careers have ended before it begun all because of the lure of the rampaging opposite sex.

“I have so many female admirers but the truth is that I’m still a young player with so many years ahead of me,” an internet-savvy Oladinho who has almost exhausted the limit for Facebook friends, stated-matter-of factly.

 “I’m not committed to any relationship and I don’t take undue advantage of my friends-girls inclusive. I don’t want to be distracted from my goal of becoming one of the greatest players to come out of Nigeria. I’m focussed on my work; I’m working and still working on my dreams. The dream is to be the best and I’m ready to do anything to achieve that. Yes, there are so many female admirers; they are just friends, no strings attached. “

On the night, the interview was conducted, the news in town was the gala for the 2011 African Footballer of the Year in Accra and the fact that a certain Andre Dede Ayew amongst the contenders was not lost on Oladinho: “Every player has a dream to win award such as the African Footballer of the Year and I’m not an exemption. In fact, I followed the selection process for this year and I’m interesting that a young player like Ayew was even considered. It gives me hope and confidence that any young player can be considered if he has done well. This is also a challenge for me to be up and doing. If a young player like Dede was given the chance, I think there is a hope for all of us. I’ll keep doing my best and I pray to God to crown my efforts in the near future.

“So far so good, I give thanks to God in good times and even in challenging times. Looking back, I did not reach my target but I have reasons to thank God.  God is always there for me. I’m still a work in progress and I’m happy with the modest things I achieved in 2011. 2011 has come and gone and we have to look forward to 2012 with optimism.

“My prayer is that 2012 would be a better year for all of us Insha Allah. Agreed God is always there to help us but on my part, I’m ready to do more. Buckle up myself for greater challenges. I’m determined to grab any opportunity that comes my way in order to achieve my dream,” posited the boy who once picked the talented duo of former Super Eagles’ captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu as his role models.