Former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the weekend, called on elderly citizens across the country to include long-distance walks in their daily routine so as to elongated their lifespan, as well as free their muscles from age related infirmity.
The former President emphatically declared that in growing old, physical exercises, like long-distance walk remains a vital element to making sure that people above 70-years of age grow gracefully, graciously and in a way that even guarantees ability to live the way they should live.
Obasanjo stated these while speaking after leading about 100 elderly citizens of Ogun State on a 2. 5-kilometer health walk round the Abeokuta metropolis as part of the keep fit programme of the Senior Citizens Club of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
According to a release made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital by Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president, clad in a designed t-shirt with a face-cap, led the 2. 5-kilometer health walk started from the Club House located within the precinct of the OOPL to Iyana mortuary via the popular Abiola Way in the Abeokuta metropolis, before making a detour at the Vanguard Pharmacy Junction to the starting point.
The keep fit health walk however, featured men and women, all of whom were in their 70s and 90s as members of the Club for which the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo is their patron.
Addressing participants after the walk, Obasanjo described the walk as both an awareness campaign and an encouragement for senior citizens to stay active, stressing that such regular exercise will ensure their better living conditions as they grow older.
“The essence of this, you can see that they are senior citizens, they are young Papas and Mamas. Normally you can only be a member of the club unless you are 70 and above and I am just getting to that age.
“The Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland is our Patron. I am a member of the club and the idea is to show and encourage, as well as to let people know that in growing old, exercise is a vital element to make sure that you grow old graceful, graciously and in a way that even when you are old,you are still able to live the way you should live.
“It is an exercise and encouragement and as advise for people, you can see this is Mama and Baba. This Baba is 90 (pointing) and as you can see him looking (shemu shemu) fit, fit.”
In his remarks, the President of Club, Group Captain Ayobamiji Erinfolami (rtd) commended the former Nigerian leader for demonstrating commitment and leading by example.
Also, a close aide to the former President, Elder Udo Umoren described the walk as “the needed tonic to keep us going and as rightly said by him, keeping us graciously and gracefully. We shall continue appreciate him for this kind of motivation and encouragement as we continue to grow into our old age.”
