Dr Abdul Ibraheem, Rector of Yaba College of Technology, has urged Nigerians to revive the culture of walking.
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 included free medical screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, diabetes and eye conditions.
Ibraheem said the event underscored the importance of health, noting that walking and trekking can improve overall 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 also urged workplaces to promote healthy living by giving staff time to stretch and take part in physical activities.
Speaking on the partnership, Patience Ngene, District Governor of Lions Club International, District 404B4, said the club had partnered with NUJ for three years.
Ngene said the collaboration had impacted more lives and supported communities. She added that the partnership at the 2026 NUJ-NAN Press Week fitness walk aimed to reach more people through free medical services and eyeglasses.
The club provided 500 eyeglasses at the event, along with blood pressure and blood sugar screening. Ngene said 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 allow them to bond and fraternise during the annual Press Week.
He noted that journalists often prioritise stories and headlines over their health, making regular medical checks essential.
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 prioritises regular health checks and healthy lifestyles.
She advised staff to pause and seek care when health concerns are identified.
Ihechu thanked Yaba College of Technology, the Lions Club and other partners for supporting the fitness walk and making the health activities successful.
The event also featured the presentation of an award of recognition to the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Abdul Ibraheem, for his consistent support and partnership with NAN.
