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Tag: work

  • Gridlock fears as repair work on Kara Bridge begins tomorrow

    Gridlock fears as repair work on Kara Bridge begins tomorrow

    The Federal Government says it will commence repair works on the Ogun-bound lane of the Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway effective Saturday, September 3, 2022.

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, in a statement, said he received a notification from the Federal Ministry of Works on the ongoing reconstruction works along the Berger-OPIC Axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Project for an emergency fixing of the expansion joints that got damaged.

    “The notification explained that the urgent repair work needed to be carried out on three of the expansion joints to prevent accidents and vehicular damages, hence the need to inform the residents and motorists on the outbound Lagos-Ibadan Expressway,” the transport commissioner said on Friday.

    Read Also: Emefiele moves out of CBN Gov’s quarters in Lagos

    Oladeinde said the state government would collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps to provide adequate diversion and effective traffic management systems during the period of the repair works.

    He advised the general public to drive with caution along this route during the period of the repair and exercise patience, adding that interventions will be put in place to minimize inconveniences.

    Oladeinde appealed for the cooperation of the general public with the stationed traffic control Officers by adhering to traffic laws and regulations to prevent avoidable gridlock and ensure a free and steady flow of traffic while the repair works last.

  • The world of remote work

    The world of remote work

    • By Ovigho Richard Okojevoh

    Sir: With the increase in fuel prices in the past three months, lots of offices and organizations are considering fewer working days for their personnel. For example, the Colleges of Education lecturers’ union directed its members to work only two days a week over rising fuel prices.

    Remote work is now not just a trend but an alternative work life. Remote work has become increasingly popular, especially in recent years. While remote work offers numerous benefits, including increased flexibility and reduced commute time, it can also have an impact on health.

    Remote work often involves sitting for long periods, which can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of physical activity can contribute to weight gain, muscle loss, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. To combat this, it is critical to incorporate regular exercise into daily routine. Take breaks to stretch, go for a walk, or engage in home workouts.

    Working from home may mean using makeshift workstations that are not ergonomically designed. Improper posture and uncomfortable setups can lead to back, neck, and shoulder pain. To minimize the risk, invest in an ergonomic chair, use a standing desk if possible, and ensure that your screen is at eye level.

    Remote work can be isolating, especially if you live alone or have limited social interactions. Lack of social connection can hurt mental health, leading to feelings of loneliness and depression. Make an effort to stay connected with colleagues and friends through video calls, online communities, or social activities outside of work hours.

     When working from home, it can be challenging to establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. This can lead to longer working hours, increased stress, and difficulty separating work-related worries from personal time. Create a designated workspace, set specific working hours, and establish a routine to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

    Remote work environments can be filled with distractions, such as household chores, family members, or pets. These distractions can hinder productivity and increase stress levels.

    Read Also: Experts advocate remote work conditions

    Remote work can pose unique mental health challenges. The lack of face-to-face interactions, increased pressure to perform, and feelings of isolation can contribute to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Prioritize self-care activities, practice stress management techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises, and seek support from friends, family, or professional resources when needed.

    It’s important to be mindful of these potential health effects and take proactive steps to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working remotely. Remember to prioritize self-care, establish a routine, and find a balance between work and private life to ensure your well-being.

    Many workers believe that remote work flexibility will provide a better work-life balance as well as benefits such as improved health and happiness. Remote work can be more productive, lucrative, and good for your mental health. It can also be more cost-effective.

    At the end of the day, remote work is here to stay, at least for some professions and at least in some hybrids. What we can do is find a way to improve it over time for some provisions, especially for the laptop middle class. Coming to work five days a week is no longer necessary for those not in manufacturing, and those in banking might not be so lucky.

     In an age of remote work, prioritizing physical activity can be increasingly difficult. There are health benefits to maintaining physical activity, and it can positively impact your work performance.

    The good news is that with a little planning and discipline, you can regain control of your life, restore balance, and reap the benefits of remote work.

    •Ovigho Richard Okojevoh,

    Lagos.

  • Ogun pensioners to work for APC’s victory

    •Union decries neglect by Amosun govt

    Thousands of pensioners in Ogun State have said despite their neglect by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, they will still mobilise their members and families for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the March 9 governorship election.

    The senior citizens alleged that the Amosun administration had not paid their gratuities since 2013 while the payment of the pensions and entitlements had also remained largely irregular.

    But they declared their commitment to work for the triumph of APC and its governorship candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the poll.

    The pensioners, who spoke under the aegis of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), expressed their resolve when they hosted Abiodun at their monthly general meeting at the union’s secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    The APC governorship hopeful was accompanied to by former Governor Olusegun Osoba.

    The State NUP Chairman Kessington Oduwole said he knew Abiodun from childhood and that his father, a pensioner, was also well known to them.

    Oduwole expressed the confidence that the APC candidate would address their demands, adding: “Dapo Abiodun is someone we have known from childhood. His parents are also pensioners and are well known to us. I want to assure you that all our wants and needs will be met when he becomes the governor.

    Read also: Igbo digging its political grave, says Oye

    “I hereby implore you all to rally round him and mobilise for him during the poll. I am promising you that he will not let us down. By the special grace of God, we shall accompany him to Oke Mosan on May 29 for his swearing-in as the governor.”

    The union’s Secretary Bola Lawal said the failure of the Amosun administration to pay their gratuities since 2013, irregular payment of pensions and entitlements, lack of input in the current government and many more were among the challenges facing them.

    He accused the governor of making promises to pensioners without fulfilling them.

    Osoba expressed shock that the pensioners could be owed for so many months but assured them that he had brought to them a man God would use to bring succour to them.

    He assured them that his candidate would run a responsible and responsive government when he becomes the governor.

    Abiodun, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, hailed the pensioners for their rare show of love and support.

    He said: “I want to appreciate our fathers and mothers who have worked tirelessly for the service of this state.

    “My parents, who were both teachers, are also pensioners. The pensioners are informed electorate who have influence within their communities. I want to express gratitude for their support.

    “As someone from the private sector, my aspiration was borne out of my desire to see our people being provided with quality governance they deserved.

    “I am assuring you that all your demands will be addressed when I become governor and I also promise to run a listening and inclusive government.”

     

  • Forget the past, work for Buhari, Sanwo-Olu’s victory, Ambode urges Epe Division

    *Says Lagos stands to gain more by voting all APC candidates

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday urged voters in Epe Division to vote en masse for candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 to ensure continuation of the good works of the party at the state and federal levels.

    Ambode, who spoke during a meeting with APC leaders in the division which was called at his instance, said it was time for the people to put events before and after the APC governorship primaries in the State behind and truly unite for the party’s victory.

    Ambode, who is from Epe, said it became imperative for him to meet with them to let them know that all members must submit to the decision of the party.

    He said: “All of us are brothers and sisters because this is a close-knit community.

    “It is now time for us to work together for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and election of Mr. Sanwo-Olu because Epe cannot be left behind.

    “I know that in view of what happened, some people are still aggrieved but what I want you to know is that there is no way PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) will work for the development of our division like APC.

    “We are also all aware that for the past sixteen years of PDP, they did not do anything in Epe division and it is only the APC that has been doing something for Lagos and for the country.

    “I want to assure you Epe will benefit more if we vote for APC. All my achievements in the last three and half years will be improved upon if Sanwo-Olu wins and so I want to urge you all to come out and vote for APC because that is how we can secure the future of our children and this division.”

    Also speaking at the meeting, Deputy Governorship candidate of APC, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, thanked Governor Ambode and all the leaders in the division.

    He said the governor displayed unusual maturity and character which eloquently confirmed that he is a man with large heart.

    “I want to thank Governor Ambode for being a man with a large and great heart.

    “What you are doing is unusual and I want to assure you that you have a future and that future will be very soon.

    “We will do everything to protect your interest and that of Epe division.

    “Governor Ambode has done his best and we will do our best to continue his legacies and build on what the Governor has done to further develop our dear State,” Hamzat said.

    Among those that attended the meeting are Hamzat, Senator Gbenga Ashafa(Lagos East); member of House of Representatives representing Epe, Hon Wale Raji; Chief Lanre Razaq, former Speakers – Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Jokotola Pelumi; Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu, among others.

     

  • The future of work

    I often wondered what the future of work holds. As a human resources practitioner managing talents for future growth for organizations and country, this often crosses my mind. We wake up everyday to go to work, at least for those who are opportune to have a job, but really what does the future of work holds. I attended a leadership program recently about the future of work and the common theme was around digitization, artificial intelligence and the line affecting the way we work. Most organizations and public service are now looking deeply into future regarding work. Change is happening faster than ever with majority of Nigerians on phones, data plans to access key information and useful apps for our phones and tablets that connects us to the world. The world is now a global village and reaching out to billions is no longer farce but reality.

    I learnt that it took telephone 75 years to reach 50 million people. Radio took 38 years to do the same. Television took 13 years and Facebook took less than 5 years. Today, a popular app on your mobile device can reach over 500 million in a matter of weeks. The world is more connected than before and the way we work is changing pretty fast as well, Automation is now a key work in businesses and organizations…automating our product lines, human resources records, financial records. Simplification is becoming a buzzword and with artificial intelligence on the radar, we are moving into a space of radical change. I was watching the Google Assistant on YouTube the other day making an order and booking appointment for clients as if it were human and I do wonder again, what the future of work holds.

    I guess we need to start changing the way we see work too. Our daily efforts, energy, struggles combine with workplace issues and physical offices will start changing too. Online meetings, video chats, flexi work schedule and working from home is fast taking over and we will see more of this in Nigeria pretty soon. One question though is: are we prepared for the future of work? Are we building skills towards the changing faces of work? Are we getting ready for the disruptions that will come? As Robots become more skilled and adept at copying humans, most tasks with human interactions are gone forever. We are already seeing this with virtual assistants, ordering kiosks and service apps. All those jobs that require answering questions, taking down information and completing simple tasks will be a thing of the past. I hear someone say bank tellers, of course, this is already changing with people cashing and depositing money through ATMs.

    Demand is shifting to people with technical skills combined with soft skills. The language now with recruiters is, we want those with technical skills+. The plus will be those people with the right people management skills, patience, communication abilities, and approachability and of course bringing value to work. I don’t believe the future of work is about robots taking over nor about jobs disappearing but there will definitely be changes to work and the way we work and this trend is bound to continue. The future of work to me looks bright but are we ready? Globalization, technological progress and demographic changes are having sound effect on the labour markets affecting both the quantity and the quality of jobs available and by whom they are carried out. There are challenges  associated with these trends.

    For me, I have started by reading through the White Paper from “The World Economic Forum” – Shaping the Future of Education, Gender and Work System Initiative Project on Preparing for the Future of Work and the project is aimed at bringing clarity to the future of work through the dissemination of accessible, balanced and sector specific knowledge as well as the development of actionable insights to help businesses and governments to manage these dramatic shifts.

    I was reading an article recently on the discussion of future of work among youths titled “Internet and Jobs: What do Young People Think of the Future of Work”. Interestingly, education was the key of the debate but conversations centered on the future of work and several themes came up and some of these are that we need to start developing skills that endure for life. While digital skills are good for the future but particular attention needs to be paid to skills that endure – assertive communication, perspective thinking, emotional intelligence and critical thinking.

    Another theme was on memorization against critical thinking. While in our primary education, memorization of information was an essential part of our learning experience; this is precisely what the thing that machines do best. We should start emphasizing the importance of critical thinking as a tool that will help the youth to better prepare for the future. I believe schools – secondary, colleges, technical and higher institutions – in Nigeria should start focusing more on building essential skills that will no doubt endure for life but also help with critical thinking. Learning skills outside of the school environment should be the goals for most of our public and private schools. The time to get ready for the future of work is NOW.

     

    • Akintunde is a lawyer and an expert in HR and Communication.

  • For #NotTooYoungToRun campaign to work

    SIR: There was a time, when only at the age of 32, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, assumed the mantle of leadership and became Nigeria’s junta leader in 1967. A time it was, in the past, when the legendary Zik of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, at the youthful age of 44, became Nigeria’s first ceremonial president. The memories of the iconic General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, who was murdered in a bloody coup, shall remain fond in our hearts. Needless to say, it was at the graceful age of 37 that providence foisted on his shoulders daunting presidential responsibilities.

    Fingers can ‘be pointed’ at Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, erstwhile civilian president, who first piloted the Nigerian ship as Head of State while still a youth. History has it that in 1976, when he succeeded the late General Murtala Muhammed, he was barely 39.

    President Muhammadu Buhari also belongs to the league of eminent personalities who became Nigeria’s leader in their youthful age. In 1983, the 41-year-old Daura-born Buhari became the Commander in-Chief after toppling the civilian government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

    Sadly, the narrative about Nigerian youths in politics or democratic governance—since 1999—is everything but gratifying. Our youths—who desire to be lucky as the Gowons, Murtalas, and Obasanjos of the 70s—wish they are (at the moment) privileged as other global youth leaders. At informal social gatherings, they dissipate their boundless energies discussing how the suave-looking and 39 years-old Emmanuel Macron (now 40), became French president in May 2017. They marvel at the reality of a then 31-years old Sebastian Kurz emerging as Austria’s Chancellor. It also baffled them, as to how Emil Dimitriev, born in March 1979, is presently the acting Prime Minister (PM) of Macedonia. It also beggars their belief that the punk hair-styled Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s supreme leader is still in his mid-thirties; while Justin Trudeau was only 43 when he was sworn-in as Canada’s Prime Minister three years ago.

    To address the political marginalization of Nigerian youths, the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign, a social movement by a group of youths, aimed at widening the political space for young, charismatic and visionary minds, was birthed last year. Though, an advocacy bill, but perhaps its principle resonated with the president’s reformative mantra of ‘Change’. Thereafter, the bill became a recipient of a deserving presidential assent from PMB at a colourful event in the Villa.

    It was so-much hoped that several young Nigerians will throw their hats in the political ring, with the eligibility age for presidential aspirants now lowered to 35 from 40; that of governorship hopefuls and aspiring federal lawmakers pegged at 30 and not 35 any longer; while that of state House of Assembly contestants cut down to 25, instead of 30 years.

    Indeed, the euphoria that greeted the historic assent was indescribable. But it will soon be shorty-lived. Now, the prospects of greater political fortunes hitherto envisaged for the youths has become a mirage. The commencement of Expression of Interests (EOI) and Nomination Forms’ sale by the dominant political parties (namely APC and PDP), were greeted with utter indignation. Nigerians of sincere goodwill, in their unison, lampooned the behemoth parties.

    The action of Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN)—a political group composed mainly of youths—who purchased the APC nomination form for President Buhari to seek re-election, is the most irritating. Indeed, nothing shows how unserious the youths are than their penchant for crowd funding the purchase of nomination forms for some senators, governors and presidential hopefuls. Meanwhile, civil society activists should rise and advocate for a legislation that will peg nomination forms at reasonable amounts, and within the reach of every intending aspirant.

    It is time the youths have a deeper introspection and genuine stocktaking about their role as agents of social change and societal rebirth. With their remarkable sense of rational thought and judgment, the youths must henceforth resist been turned into political Almajiris (beggars), campaign mobilizers and election-winning tools for clueless, desperate and over-recycled politicians. Like the French, Nigerian youths should see it not only as an obligation, but an article of faith to sponsor and massively support young aspiring politicians with clear vision, requisite expertise, impeccable integrity and intimidating leadership credentials.

    These are some salient ways the youths can show that they mean serious business in demanding a generational power shift. Otherwise, their unyielding quests for leadership positions and relevance in the scheme of things will forever remain a very, very tall order.

     

    • Abdulsalam Mahmud,

    Abuja.

  • Standard gauge: Work to begin on Lagos corridor in June, says Amaechi

    MiNISTER of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday that work will begin on the Lagos corridor  of Lagos-Ibadan rail standard gauge in June.

    The minister has promised to deliver the project in December.

    Amaechi acknowledged the effort of the Lagos State government in resolving challenges disrupting the pace of work.

    The challenges, he noted,  are gas and petroleum pipeline, as well as water and sewage removal.

    The minister spoke after an inspection of the project at Papalanto in Ogun State.

    Assessing the work, he noted that work has moved from Ijoko in Ogun State to Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    “We have made appreciable speed between Papalanto and Ibadan. In order not to affect our deadline, we need to resume work in Lagos,” Amaechi said.

    The minister said the contractor had made progress in tracks laid, and was laying beams of two bridges at Papalanto.

    Although he could not confirm kilometres of tracks  laid, Amaechi said 17 bridges would be built between Papalanto and Ibadan, with two  in Lagos.

    Amaechi earlier hinted at a meeting that the Federal Government will go ahead with the project, if Lagos continued to pose a challenge.

    He said: “We agreed a long time ago that while we (Federal Government) would take care of the gas and petroleum pipelines, Lagos would take care of the replacement of the water and sewage removal.

    “If Lagos refuses to come up with its solutions, we would be left with no choice but to use our old, narrow gauge alignment, which can accommodate what we wanted to do and leave Lagos to look for another alignment when it is ready to start its Red Line light rail project.”

    But the minister later admitted that Lagos had come up with a workable solution.

    “We have agreed that Lagos State should come back to the meeting within the next two weeks with the solutions so that work can resume as scheduled on the Lagos corridor by June,” he said.

    On the threat by rains, Amaechi said the engineers had assured that work will continue.

    He said CCECC has affirmed his promise to deliver the project in December.

  • Work to begin on Navy War College

    Chairman of Senate Committee on Navy, Isa Misau, has assured work will soon commence on the building of the Navy War College in Idundu, Cross River State.

    Misau, who was on a visit to the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) of the Nigerian Navy, told reporters the clearing and fencing of the over 120 hectares of land where the War College would be situated would soon kick off.

    Misau, who was conducted round by the Flag Officer Commanding of the ENC, Rear Admiral Matthew Emuekpere, visited the site of the proposed War College, the Naval Ratings Housing Estate at Atimbo, the Navy Reference Hospital and the NNS Victory jetty in Calabar.

    “If the resources are not adequate, then we can look at the 2019 budget,” he said.

     

  • A soldier at work

    A soldier at work

    Take away the uniform, the horse whip and the gun, the young man in these pictures would probably have fought his tormentor. But, he cut the image of an obedient citizen, who had accepted his offence and ready to pay the price.

    Somewhere at the back of his mind was the belief that the soldier had no right to violate his human rights and subject him to public ridicule.

    The manner in which he knelt down, begging the soldier and the speed with which he agreed to frog-jump could only have been gun-induced.

    For him, the fear of the soldier was the beginning of wisdom last Saturday in Mushin, Lagos mainland.

  • A genius at work

    A genius at work

    He needs no introduction when the issue is football. He ranks among the icons of the beautiful game, going by his achievements since he started kicking the ball around the streets as a boy in Argentina. He enjoys playing when marked, if he has a target to break. Lionel Messi, is the man for all seasons, soccer wise. He leaves a mark anywhere he plays.

    Indeed, clubs’ fans pray when draws are made for competitive matches if their teams are drawn with Barcelona FC. And the word on every lip after such draws is ‘’Messi.’’ So, when the Round of 16 matches pitched Chelsea against Barca, the world looked forward to mouth-watering matches over the two legs in London and Nou Camp.

    Messi doesn’t fail with challenges. He must have smiled, reading pre-match commentaries highlighting the fact that he had not scored against Chelsea in eight matches. He debunked that seeming fallacy when he finished off a square pass from Barca’s captain, Andres Iniesta into the net to tie the game a goal apiece.

    Messi wasn’t the Man-of-the-Match. That accolade was for Chelsea’s midfielder Willian, who had to get medical attention twice before the end of the pulsating encounter. Messi’s side didn’t have the best chances. Chelsea had. Yet if Barcelona approaches the second leg as undoubted favourites, Messi that is responsible for that. Again, one chance, one goal. That is all he needs. And Messi got it because he, along with Barcelona’s immense forward drive, terrifies the opposition, defenders in possession in particular.

    Messi isn’t known for rhetoric in the media before or after games. His feet do the talking, leaving many fans of opposing teams with broken hearts. Messi isn’t a spoilsport. He accepts defeats since he fights till the referee’s final whistle. Kudos should go to Chelsea’s manager Antonio Conte for his tactical plans which kept Messi quiet until he struck from a poor pass across Chelsea’s 18-metre box by Christensen in the 74th minute. Chelsea were unlucky as Willian’s shot hit the upright of the goalpost twice until he scored in the 61st minute from a curly kick. Willian received the ball outside of the box, paused, accelerated to the right then put it past a static Marc-Andre ter Stegen. At last, the warrior had his reward.

    A tale of two warriors – Willain and Messi – with both players looking forward to the return leg at the Nou Camp in Barcelona. Soccer purists will give the game to Barca due to Messi’s records of swinging tight fixtures in his side’s favour at the Nou Camp. But Chelsea are no easy meat to chew in such winner-takes-all fixtures. Besides, Conte doesn’t park the bus in away fixtures. I see both sides scoring a goal each before the end of the first half. If Chelsea scores first, which isn’t unlikely, Barca will have a big problem on their hands.

    Conte’s world class tactics anchored on not using a striker took care of the strong points of key players in Barcelona. This tactic should worry Barcelona’s coach, Ernesto Valverde given the way Chelsea’s players stuck to the system until that slip. Otherwise, Barca would have left Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night with their tails tucked in between their legs.

    ‘’Playing Alvaro Morata from the start, with him and Eden Hazard, without Willian or Pedro, would’ve lost our balance,’’ the Italian told the press in a post match session. ‘It would’ve been suicidal. We executed the game plan really well,’’ Fabregas said afterwards. ‘’We were compact, solid, played as a team and created lots of chances.’’

    No good team plays blindfolded at this level, with coaches and players playing to the pre-match scripts. Those who think that the Barcelona tie between these two combatants is over had better read this instructive submissions by Chelsea’s highest goal-scorer this season, Eden Hazard, in a post-match conference: ‘’At least we won’t be able to think defensively in the second leg because if we think defensively over there we will be in a lot of danger.

    ‘’We will go there trying to win because we have to score and we will try for the perfect game as we did today, except for the small error that we made. That’s what made the difference because you’re up against Barcelona. Against other teams, perhaps you get away without letting in a goal. We played well. We had a plan to defend well. Perhaps we could have done more with the ball when we had it. It’s not over. We can still dream. Qualification is still possible,’’ the Belgian told reporters.

    Fight to the death, if you ask me. Even with this can-do spirit from Chelsea stars, Hazard still feels that Messi’s class is one obstacle they have to contend with in the second leg tie. Hazard said on Tuesday night: ‘’We contained him well. When he’s outside the box he’s less dangerous than in it. He had one touch in the box today and he scored. That’s the difference he makes.’’

    Is the game over for Chelsea in two weeks time? Barca’s striker Luis Suarez seems to have written off the Blues, stressing: “It was a beneficial goal for the second leg to have more space at the Camp Nou.”

    “Our strength is being better at home; that’s why it was important to score. Now they have to try to score at the Camp Nou and we’ll have more space,” Suarez told Marca, a Spanish newspaper on Thursday.

    So, why did Conte adopt the striker-less options against Barca? Is Hazard willing to play that role in the return leg? Hazard revealed after the 1-1 draw with Barcelona on Tuesday: ‘You don’t get a lot of balls. I might have touched 25 balls that night and 15 of them were flying towards my head. That is not really playing to my qualities. I won some aerial duels against Gerard Pique, and that’s not bad.

    ‘’But if I had to choose, I prefer to play like I did in the last 10 minutes, which was out wide. But it’s the manager who has the final word. On the wing, I feel more comfortable. That’s my place. In games like that you have to be 100 per cent focused,’ he said. ‘One error, one goal. We should have scored more.

    ‘’We complicated it ourselves. A draw is a bad result. We won’t be able to think defensively in Barcelona. If we only think about defending, we’ll be in a lot of trouble. We will go to try to win. We have to win, we have to score,’’ Hazard said.

    Indeed, Messi had the night in which he had only one chance at goal and buried the ball inside the net. Daily Mail’s writer Ian Ladyman summed up Messi’s talent and his contributions in Tuesday’s game thus: ‘’So we savour nights like this, nights when the greatest footballer of our generation cheats the passing of time on the back of skills, appetite and intuitive understanding that refuse to wane. Maybe we should not be surprised that Barcelona’s No 10 retains his youthful capacities.’’

    ‘’There is not a footballer alive who understands the rhythm of a game and the intricacies of his own game like he does. Unlike many, Messi does not seek the ball, he does not hunt the ball. Instead he finds pieces of solitude, waiting for the ball, the game, to come to him. His mind is always switched on but the body only follows when he has possession.

    ‘’This could be the secret of the enduring brilliance. Certainly Messi would make a mockery of modern running stats. If there was a similar measurement available for lurking then he would top the list,’’ Ladyman wrote on Thursday.

    Should Super Eagles players surrender before Messi kicks the ball in the last fixture of Group D against Argentina? No way. We thrive best when the opposition is tough. Unlike at Barcelona, Messi will have to take charge since his Argentine mates are not as talented as his peers at Barcelona. Surely, a tree cannot make the forest. Eagles will mark Messi. They will cut off supply to him. He dare not wait for the ball like he does at Barcelona. Otherwise, what happened in Russia last year would be a child’s play.

    Eagles’ manager Gernot Rohr must instruct his players not to lose sight of Messi anytime during the game. Just when you think you have Messi inside your cage, he bolts out to deliver the devastating blow that swings the game in his side’s (club, and country’s) favour.

    Certainly, our boys and their coaches watched the first game on Tuesday; they should watch the return leg and decide how best to mark out Messi. Did I hear you say bring on Argentina and Messi? No hurry, it will soon be World Cup time.