“Walking as the oldest and safest form of physical exercise that was non-discriminatory on grounds of age, gender, level of physical fitness, or location.”
Mr Lawrence Mba, founder of the Waka Community International Foundation, made the call at a walkathon on Saturday in Lagos organised by the Waka Community International Foundation, Q-Life Family Clinic and Health Emergency Initiative to honour the memory of Dr. Adetokunbo Alakija.
He urged Nigerians to walk a minimum of thirty minutes daily, to eat healthy in small portions, to drink lots of water, and to get adequate sleep so they will be fitter, leaner, healthier, and ultimately happier.
“This event being held in honour of Adetokunbo Alakija is to help build consciousness about the importance of health.The long Walk started from Catholic Church Admiralty road Lekki from 7am-9am through lkoyi link bridge to Falomo and back to the church .
The participants includes government agencies,,experts, health stakeholders, children, families of late Dr. Ade Alakija, Dr. Olayinka Olowolu, Q-Life Family Clinic,Lawrence Mba,Waka Community International Foundation ,Mr. Paschal Achunine, Health Emergency Initiative and others.
He added that the inclusion of walking as part of activities to improve life span, mitigate health challenges, and enhance overall well-being for increased productivity and economic development.
According to him , walkathon is done globally in 46 countries by members just as it is done in Lagos Nigeria. Mba disclosed that the collaborative event, is to immortalise the memories of the late Alakija, who was a fitness enthusiast, aimed to contribute to the wellness and health of Nigerians and residents of Nigeria.
He urged the public to take personal responsibility for their wellness by walking, eating right, hydrating well, and getting enough quality sleep.
“Walking, the oldest and safest form of physical exercise, is a low-impact exercise that is gentle on the knees and ankles.
“It helps prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes and also helps improve cardiovascular fitness.
Mr. Paschal Achunine, the Executive Director, Health Emergency Initiative, said the event was to raise awareness about healthy living, keeping a good lifestyle, and addressing emergency situations via the application of first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
He emphasised the need for joint efforts to save the lives of accident victims, who, he stated, accounted for about 40 percent of deaths in the country.
“We aim to raise awareness to provide access to health care for Nigerians, and as this initiative saves lives, we can all work together to save lives together too,” he said.
The event featured health checks, CPR, and first aid demonstrations by professional first responders, driven by the conviction that a healthy Nigeria is a wealthy Nigeria.
Dr. Olayinka Olowolu, Medical Director, Q-Life Family Clinic, said the walkathon was to promote wellness, in honour of Alakija who was passionate about exercising and impacting the lives of people.
“At Q-Life, we are your partner in promoting your health as we focus on not just the curative but the preventive care of healthy living.
“As Nigerians and humans all over the world, we can take steps to ensure that we are in good health and not wait until we are ill by engaging in physical active, a proper nutrition and by avoiding things that can negatively impact one’s health.
“If you walk up to 150 minutes weekly, it is enough to have a positive impact on your health,” he said.
.“Walking also has many benefits, such as helping maintain a healthy weight and helping lose unwanted and undesirable fat.
Alero Alakija, one of daughters of the late Alakija and a medical practitioner, promised to continue educating the general public on the benefits of walking via the walkathon in honour of her late father.
We recalled that Alakija was the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, former Medical Director of Q-Life Family Clinic, and pioneer member of the Waka Community International Foundation.
