By Ikenna Nwokedi
It was a moment of conviviality as indigenes and non-indigenes of Amawbia Town domiciled in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday, 31st December 2022, embarked on her annual fitness and endurance trek termed ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk’ as part of activities to promote unity, peaceful coexistence and healthy living in the community.
The endurance trek and fitness walk covering a distance of about 8 kilometres saw the cream de la cream of the community dwellers made up of top government officials, youths, children and the aged converging at the Central Primary School (Aguogba) Amawbia by 6.30am before criss-crossing the length and breath of the town in what is now a custom for the community.
The colorful event, a brainchild of the town’s illustrious son and lawmaker, Hon. Chief Chukwuma Pius Okoye, member representing Awka South Constituency 2 at the Anambra State House of Assembly (ANSHA) saw the entire Amawbia community turn out en masse to join the ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Fitness Walk’ which commenced at the Central Primary School and terminated at the same point with entertainment, ogene music performance and refreshment to spice the occasion.
Speaking to the media, the member representing Awka South Constituency 2 at the Anambra State House of Assembly (ANSHA), Hon. Chief Chukwuma Okoye said that the ‘Ugboogiliga Walk’ which has held sway for the past three years is aimed at keeping Amawbia together.
“I am delighted that today, the indigenes of my town and other inhabitants who are not from Amawbia engaged in the fitness walk which we tagged ‘Ugboogiliga Walk’ aimed at bringing us together and encouraging unity and oneness. Sports is very essential to our growth and wellbeing in keeping us physically fit and ensuring mental alertness,” he said.
The lawmaker also eulogized the President-General of Amawbia Town, Engr. Godwin Aronu for his ideas and support towards ensuring that the fitness walk was a success. He equally stated that the initial plan was to incorporate all the seven communities of Obizi as part of this year’s fitness Walk but for want of time, he however promised that the 2023 edition will see the entire Obizi dynasty being part of the recreational and exercise programme.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the President-General of my town, Engr. Godwin Aronu for his ideas and support towards the success of this programme. By next year, we will engage the President Generals of all the communities in Obizi to be part of this exercise. It’s in the pipeline, we will strategize and fashion out the best way to go about this as exercise is something not limited to a group of persons but for all of us in general,” Okoye said.
Hon. Okoye highlighted some of his contributions to Amawbia Town especially in the areas of Education and Security.
“As part of my representation and mandate since 2019 which is going well, I embarked on a legacy project which is the perimeter fencing of over 50 plots of land for Boys High School Amawbia which has since its existence in 1983 remained open and thereby not only endangering the lives of the students but making them vulnerable to a lot of dangers. To the Glory of God the perimeter fencing is almost completed and awaiting commissioning.
“In the area of security, I provided a shuttle bus for Adabebe Village Security network to aid movement and vigilance in that part of my community. Ideally, security should be everyone’s business and we can’t continue to wait on the government to do everything, we have to contribute individually especially in our comfort zone by assisting the government to tackle the menace occasioned by insecurity,” Okoye said.
On his part, the immediate past Head of Service, Barrister Harry Uduh said the fitness work has come to stay as a tradition in the community. He described the past couple of years as a great success for the fitness walk seeing Amawbia indigenes trooping out en masse to engage in the recreational programme.
Uduh emphasized that the Walk is significant in providing opportunity for the citizens of Amawbia to interface with each other, make them fit during the Christmas period and for them to be reminded that keeping fit and engaging in exercise is critical to one’s health. He described Hon. Okoye as a vibrant young man whose love for his people can be seen with his innovations and programmes, he equally thanked him for his immense support towards the growth and unity of Amawbia community.
