Gov. Akunwunmi Ambode of Lagos state on Sunday advised Nigerians to do regular fitness exercise s in order to live a healthy life.
Ambode gave the advice at the 2017 annual fitness exercise tagged “Walk For Life’’ organised by the Human Concern Foundation International, a sister organisation of The Muslim Congress (TMC), in Lagos
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef, said that a “healthy nation is a wealthy nation’’
“On behalf of the Governor of Lagos State, I congratulate the Human Concern Foundation International (HCFI) for this fitness exercise.
“I want to say that living healthy requires that we do a lot. Taking the right food, understanding the value of water, understanding when to rest and more than anything, physical exercises.
“So, by doing this regularly, I believe that is not something that should be annual; but it is symbolic.
“It is just meant to gear all of us up that this is what we need to do; minimum of 30 minutes fitness exercise everyday and I believe that you’ll take advantage of this.
“This is the type of collaborative efforts that the government is talking about.
“Only a healthy nation can be referred to as a wealthy nation.
“So on this note, I flag off this walk; we will go in peace and come back in peace.’
The Coordinator of the HCFI, Dr Ibrahim Oreagba remarked that the annual physical exercise was initiated to encourage Nigerians to always take a walk on a regular basis to keep fit and live a healthy life.
Oreagba, who is an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said the theme of this year’s walk is “Come let’s Walk for Health and Unity’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fitness exercise involved walking from Jibowu bus stop along Lagos-Ikorodu expressway to Maryland and back to Jibowu, a distance of about 10 kilometres. (NAN)