Dr Abdul Ibraheem, Rector of Yaba College of Technology, has urged Nigerians to revive the culture of walking to promote healthy living and wellbeing.
Ibraheem made the call during the Nigerian Union of Journalists and News Agency of Nigeria (NUJ-NAN) 2026 Press Week fitness walk.
The walk began at Yaba College of Technology and featured free medical screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar and eye conditions, as well as diabetes checks.
Ibraheem said the event highlighted the importance of health, noting that walking and trekking could contribute to better health and wellbeing.
“Through this, I want NUJ-NAN to bring back that habit of trekking, that habit of walking. When you walk, you become alive,” he said.
He urged workplaces to promote healthy living among staff by giving them time to stretch and participate in physical activities.
Speaking on the partnership to promote health and wellbeing, Patience Ngene, District Governor of Lions Club International, District 404B4, said the club had partnered with NUJ for three years.
Ngene said the partnership had impacted more lives and supported communities.
She said the collaboration at the 2026 NUJ-NAN Press Week fitness walk aimed to reach more people through free medical services and eyeglasses.
According to her, the club provided 500 eyeglasses at the event, alongside blood pressure and blood sugar screenings.
She added that 1,000 eyeglasses would be provided during the club’s eye-screening programme in Ibadan.
Similarly, Leticia Ojugberi-Okeyi, Chairperson of Lions Club District 404B4 Paediatric Diabetes for 2026/2027, urged people to undergo regular blood pressure, glucose and eye checks.
She said the screening had identified individuals with previously undiagnosed high blood pressure.
“My advice to them is they should not make it a yearly check-up. They should do it frequently,” Ojugberi-Okeyi said.
Mr Yunus Yusuf, Chairman of the NUJ-NAN Chapel, said the fitness walk was organised to promote journalists’ health and provide an opportunity for them to bond and fraternise during the annual Press Week.
He said journalists often prioritised stories and headlines over their health, making regular medical checks important for monitoring their health status.
Yusuf urged media organisations to encourage journalists to undergo regular health checks, saying this would help reduce untimely deaths among media workers.
Mrs Vivian Ihechu, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee for the NUJ-NAN 2026 Press Week, said NAN management prioritised regular health checks and healthy lifestyles.
She advised staff to take a break and seek medical attention whenever health concerns arose.
Ihechu appreciated Yaba College of Technology, Lions Club and other partners for supporting the fitness walk and making the health activities successful.
The event featured the presentation of an award of recognition to Ibraheem for his consistent support and partnership with NAN.
