By Ikenna Nwokedi, PhD
The indigenes and community dwellers of Amawbia town domiciled in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday, 27th of December 2021, embarked on its annual fitness and endurance trek termed ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk’ as part of activities to promote unity, coexistence and healthy living in the community. The endurance trek and fitness walk covering a distance of about 5 kilometres saw the youths, children and the aged converge at the Central Primary School Amawbia by 6.30 am before crisscrossing the length and breadth of the town in what is now a custom for the community.
The colourful event, a brainchild of the town’s illustrious son and lawmaker, Hon. Chief Chukwuma Okoye, a 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 press, the member representing Awka South Constituency 2 at the ANSHA, Hon. Chief Chukwuma Okoye stated that apart from the OBIZI UNITY FOOTBALL CUP and UGBO-OGILIGA CHALLENGE CUP, he is bankrolling, the ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Fitness Walk’ also as part of his grassroots programmes. Hon. Chief Okoye said: “This fitness walk became necessary owing to the fact that walking is a major part of an exercise to ensure that people are physically fit and mentally alert. It’s also a platform to engage all the age brackets such as the children, youth and the elderly in the town to key into the benefits of exercise and also foster unity amongst Ndi Amawbia.
The lawmaker and legislator also said that the Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk has come to stay, He said: “We held the maiden edition of the Fitness Walk last year to test run it and we found out it was generally accepted by all and sundry in Amawbia town. The Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk has come to stay and will remain one of the regular programmes in our town as part of my contributions to my constituency. I want to thank immensely all those who turned out for this year’s edition and I also promise that it will get better in subsequent years”, Chief Okoye stated.
On his part, the President-General of the Town, Comrade Ebele Nwufo, stated that the Fitness Walk is now an annual event rechristened ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk’ which used to be ‘Amawbia Walk’. He stated that the turnout was overwhelming, he also said that he is grateful to God for the programme while expressing gratitude to the Benefactor.
Also speaking, the coordinator of the Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk, Mr Ifeanacho Ogu said that the programme was a success and the turnout was quite massive when compared to the maiden edition held in 2020. He opined that the ‘Ugbo-Ogiliga Walk’ is aimed at creating conviviality in Amawbia while still buttressing the need for exercise and healthy living.
Dignitaries and top government officials who participated in the ‘Fitness Walk’ are the President-General of the town, Comrade Ebele Nwufo; Retiring Head of Service, Anambra State, Barrister Harold Uduh; Administrative Judge of the Awka Judicial Division (High Court of Justice), Hon. Justice Ikeogu; Chief Security Officer of the State, Hon. Emeka Onuoha and the benefactor cum legislator, Hon. Chief Chukwuma Okoye.
