The Lagos Keep Fit Initiatives, a monthly physical fitness programme that aims to promote wellness and social cohesion among the residents of Lagos state, held its latest edition yesterday at the Onikan Stadium.
Read Also: NAFF Technical Manager, Nwenwe Unveils Preparations For Special Eagles’ Upcoming Tournaments
The event was graced by the presence of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Damilare Orimoloye, who spoke to the media about the uniqueness and expansion of the programme.
According to him, “First, the uniqueness comes with the colour change, we are trying to identify the locality colour. Now, for instance, Lagos centre, we have a yellow and blue. So by the time we move to the next division, Lagos East, Lagos west.
WATCH: HOW LAGOSIANS TURN OUT IN THOUSAND TO KEEP FIT
We have different colours too. So it’s unique with color. It’s unique with the arrangements. When we started, everybody clustered, but now we’re able to space out with use of cones, the flag and the other cones. Again, uniqueness comes with our sponsors on board. The uniqueness comes with the fact that It is now age balanced.
We have the kids, we have the youth, we have the older ones too. And lastly, the uniqueness comes with the medical section that people are able to check their vitals, know their status, their health status, and take it up from there.”
He also revealed that the programme would soon be extended to other senatorial districts of the state, such as Lagos West and Lagos East, and would make use of the newly built stadiums in Agege and Ikorodu. He said, “Like I said, when I was talking about uniqueness, I said colours to give you hints that, yes, we are moving to other senatorial districts like Lagos West, Lagos east. So looking at Agege, looking at Ikorodu, I’m sure from the next edition, March or April, we try to do that, putting some logistics in place. And again, it gives us joy. It gives us balance to have it in our own stadium, our own venue. For instance, Agege stadium will soon be completed. So it gives us joy to launch that stadium with this program. The same way with Gbogbo, which is Ikorodu too. So instead of us going to a shared venue, we’ll use our own venue.”
He also expressed his satisfaction with the increasing participation and enthusiasm of the people for the programme, as well as the improvement of the medical services provided. He said, “It comes with gladness that, okay, people are now seeing reasons for this program. People are now keen on it. And people are now keeping the date. The numbers are increasing. Not only that, numbers are increasing, our own inputs increasing. Now we are now having a medical section. And you can see that this medical part of it, the vital part of it is not done on pen and paper. It is digital. So we follow through with it by the next edition. In your status. Which is February and March, so the crowd is improving. I’m glad.”
He also gave an update on the status of the stadiums that are being built around the state, saying that they are almost completed and ready for use. He said, “The stadiums that are being built around the state it’s most likely like 90%. It’s 90% completion. We’re just touching bases and ensuring that other areas have been looked into.”
The Lagos Keep Fit Initiatives is a collaboration between the Lagos State Sports Commission and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports. The programme is open to all and free of charge. The next edition is scheduled for March 18, 2024 at the same venue.
