Fitness Avenue, Tonto Dikeh, others task Nigerians on healthy living
By Paul Okah, Abuja
In commemoration of the 2019 World Heart Day, the Fitness Avenue Foundation (FAN), in collaboration with Tonto Dikeh Foundation and SDGs Thursday, has tasked Nigerians on exercising and eating right; in order to ensure a healthy heart and healthy living for all.
The foundation made this demand on Saturday in Abuja during an awareness campaign held at Jabi Lake Park, which attracted more than 500 FCT residents and organizations, including the Ibrahim Baba-Inna (IBI) foundation, Alliance Hospital, Amazing Physiotherapy, Axa Mansard, Abikeredefined Global Services, Three Crowns Milk, among others.
Addressing newsmen at the event, founder of Fitness Avenue Foundation (FAN), Mosun Aindero, said the vision and mission of the foundation is to share knowledge of how to protect one’s heart against diseases, especially as she was diagnosed with a heart condition ten years ago and learnt a lot during her trying period.
She said: “The World Heart Day is celebrated on the 29th September every year, but this year’s event falls on a Sunday, that’s why we’re holding the awareness on a Saturday. The purpose of this awareness is for people to take care of their hearts; in order not to have heart problems. But if you already have it, we can help you with information on how to manage it.
“This is the second education of the Healthy Heart campaign since last year. The foundation came about as a result of the experience I had ten years ago. I was diagnosed with a heart disease and I was supposed to go for surgery, but I ended up not having the surgery. I learnt a lot of things on what I should have done in order to prevent heart diseases in the first place and I asked myself why I should not share my knowledge and experience with others.
“Prevention is cheaper than cure. Last year, we were not able to pull this crowd, but, this year, we adopted different strategies and I am impressed with the turnout. They say charity begins at home, so we decided to start in a little way. If I am going to take the campaign to Europe or anywhere, it is better for me to start it from here. Right now, Abuja is my host community, so people around here must benefit before I take it to the outside world. People can start with very little exercises. It is not expensive to take care of your heart.”
Also speaking, Chairman of IBI foundation and initiator of SDGs Thursday, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Baba-Inna (rtd.), said that the heart is one of the important organs in a human life that should not be trifled with, even as he implored Nigerians to pay more attention to exercising and keeping fit.
“The heart is one of the most important organs in the human life. Without the heart, there can be no human being alive. We are here to sensitize Abuja residents on the need to always keep fit and eat right so that we can live longer. Because of constant awareness, people have started eating good food and exercising more. I was hitherto overweight, but I started exercising and eating the food and changes occurred within a short time,” he said.
Highlight of the event was Nollywood actress, King Tonto Dike, thrilling a crowd of sports lovers with fitness exercises and dance steps, including giving out prizes to winners of dancing competitions held by the organisers of the event
