Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
A pupil of the Regent Nursery and Primary School in Abuja, David Danga has recently organised a five kilometers health work aimed at increasing life span and healthy lifestyle of Nigerians through regular exercise of the body.
The five kilometer walk according to Danga, who is equally the head boy of the school, was targeted at addressing health issues.
The jogging exercise which commenced from the school to Kilimanjaro Junction Mariana, Abuja, back to the school playground for further aerobics display and medical checkups had no fewer than 300 participants drawn from parents, health and fitness therapist, teachers, and pupils.
Danga, while speaking to THISDAY on the sidelines of the event, advocated for a National Exercise Day, which according to him, would ameliorate the level of diseases in the country.
He informed that, “many Nigerians don’t really like exercise. So, when they are not exercising, they lose shape and their bodies are open to diseases. But exercise builds immune system, increases blood flow, lungs work well and many other advantages.
“This is the first time the school will be organising an event like this and I will like to advocate for a National Health Exercise Day in Nigeria because, I want everyone to be healthy. To other schools, I will want them to also take this idea to promote a healthy lifestyle.”
Speaking in similar vein, the Head Master of the school, Mr. Kenneth Sugden said: “I am very impressed with what I have seen. The turnout is over 200 and it is a good branding for the school. The kids did very well in yoga, aerobics, dancing and badminton.”
Sugden who stressed that the benefits of the exercise were many, added that a healthy body was a healthy mind, and that, he has observed that lack of exercise was one of the causes of early death in the life of average Nigerians.
Speaking also, a parent, Mrs Ngozi Moses-Saromi said it was almost impossible to find parents going to the gym with their kids for exercise.
“But this amazing initiative has made that possible. The atmosphere is charged with so much excitement, laughter and camaraderie. This initiative is also in line with the school’s culture of promoting healthy living amongst the kids,” she said.
