Onigbinde, Odegbami, actors, others endorse Osun Walk-to-Live programme

Former Coach of the Super Eagles and Confederation of Africa Football’s Technical Instructor, Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde; ex-international, Chief Segun Odegbami; and notable actors and actresses in the country were some of the personalities who have lauded the efforts of the government of Osun State at promoting healthy living in the state.
This followed the declaration by the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, that sports will henceforth be a compulsory activity in all schools in the state.

The declaration came at the monthly Walk-to-Live programme of the state government when the governor led thousands of others on road walk at the weekend.
The Walk-to-Live event is one of the activities under the Promotion of Healthy Living, one of the six-point integral development agenda of Aregbesola.
Also on hand to witness the exercise were notable actors and actresses: Yomi Fash-Lanso, Bolaji Amusan (aka Mr. Latin), Fathia Balogun, Ebun Oloyede, Kareem Adepoju and Chief Samson Eluyemi and others.
Aregbesola, while reminding the people the need for regular exercises, said all members of the society should be prepared to join the monthly programme, noting that the promotion of healthy living is for the generality of the populace and not government officials alone.
Aregbesola said: “Walk to live exercise was introduced because we realised that we have all forgotten the need to physically exercise ourselves. We are highly sedentary and socially wild. We must compliment this with engaging in physical exercise. Osun is promoting Walk-to-Live to ensure that we have a healthy people in a healthy state.”
He said the incessant violence witnessed in the Northern part of the country is not unrelated to the fact that the dominant population of youths are not positively engaged.
The governor noted: “We do not know how totally vulnerable we are particularly as a nation with a population of which about 60 per cent are youths. The implication is that more than half of the country is in that category where if we do not engage them in activities that will saturate and dissipate their energy, we are doomed.
“The phenomenon we are witnessing at the Northern part of the country is not unrelated to the fact that there is nowhere to dissipate the energy of youths. Productive engagement like walk is important, athletic culture and sporting activities are veritable tools of engagement for youth.”
Onigbinde lamented the deplorable state of sports in the country, saying, Nigeria has to develop its sport before going for competitions, for her to expect good results and high achievements in sports.
He said: “We have to develop before we go into competition. You want your child to have a Bachelors degree in whatever field without going to the university. Is that possible?. If you do not develop, you don’t expect high achievements. The talents are there. Let’s discover and train them.”
Odegbami commended the governor for initiating such a laudable programme, saying he was amazed to see a governor in Nigeria take a five kilometre walk without security escorts.
Participants at the walk exercise included the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Secretary to the state Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Chief of staff to the governor, Alhaji Gboyege Oyetola; the Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs, Barrister Stephen Kola-Balogun; other members of the executive council among many other dignitaries.