Mrs Oghogho Musa, president of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), has encouraged spouses of service personnel to prioritise physical activity and stress management for better health.
Speaking at DEPOWA’s monthly “Dance to De‑Stress” aerobics session on Saturday in Abuja, Musa highlighted the importance of regular exercise in preventing stress-related illnesses.
She urged participants to make movement a routine part of their lives, noting that staying active is key to maintaining both physical fitness and mental well‑being.
“That is why we are dancing to distress. If you cannot run or walk, you can dance to keep active.
“So I want to encourage every one of you to keep this in mind because you can play music at home to keep being active.
“When you dance, you are actually sweating and having fun, keeping fit, and at the same time burning those unnecessary fats in the body, and keeping healthy and active at the same time.
“Please, let us keep dancing and keep being active. Being active cannot be over-exercised because it will do you and your body a lot of good.
“And remember, when you do this, you are investing into the future. The Lord will keep you strong, healthy, to keep being active,” she said.
DEPOWA President said the exercise was necessary for military wives because of the responsibility of keeping the home front and others owing to the constant absence of their husbands.
Dr Juliet Ango, Consultant Public Health Physician and Chairperson, Health and Sports Committee of DEPOWA, said that stress was actually the phenomenon that people often underrated or looked down on.
Ango said that stress had a direct impact on mental and physical health, adding that people could come down with hypertension and so many other issues that had to do with their physical health as a result of stress.
She urged the women to be intentional in the effort to de-stress, by taking time to unwind, engage in exercise or sports.
