By Editor
Ilawe-Ekiti will this weekend, played host to the moving train of BAO WALK team, the 9th edition and it promises to be another exciting experience.
It started about ten months ago as a pet project of a former Federal lawmaker, Congressman, Bimbo Daramola amid speculations from not a few critics insinuating underlying political motive aimed at testing the waters in the build up to the 2026 election.
But undaunted by this expected distraction, Daramola, a fantastic grassroots mobilizer unleashed all the energies, finese and media propaganda to preach the gospel of simple healthy living to every Ekiti person under the now popular ‘BAOWALK’ and like a raging harmattan fire, the monthly walk exercise has attracted a life of its own with massive turn out of teeming mass of Ekiti people to participate in the novel idea across affected local governments.
In a seeming working document of the initiative made available to our correspondent, the Congressman presents a detailed component of his pet project in a lucid unambiguous format.
His words;
“The introduction of the BAO WALK is to deepen and institutionalise the need for adoption of one of the important ways to be healthy, stay healthy and promotion of all round wellness and staying so.
Today, medical science says that “not all medications come in the forms of tablets or capsules or injections” and that a life that moderately incorporates active measures like walking can help to stay of medications and stay off medicals marked by dependence on prescription tablets and hospital visits.
So, walking among others has been proved to be one of the
“non swallow-able medications” for the advancement of good health and general well being.
“But it would appear like an abdication of personal responsibility if we know this and refuse to consciously adopt this simple but effective complementary way to sustainably empower our bodies for good health.
“We all know that today there is a strong advocacy to embrace what is called “lifestyle modification” as one of the key ways to be healthy and staying so.
“So, the introduction of the once in a month BAO WALK is therefore a symbolic representation for promoting physical activity that is aimed to extend the frontiers of care and concern for the well-being and wellness of Ekiti people
Medical science has also established that the human body has the capability to “auto correct” some life threatening underlying major and debilitating health challenges with the adoption of moderate and consistent physical activities as simple as adoption of walking in our lives on daily basis, as against a largely sedentary life that inadvertently is killing us.
So, the introduction of this good health promoting activity titled THE BAO WALK is basically to push up this consciousness and hope that from once a month, in every local government area in Ekiti State, it can become a lasting feature that will become a weekly corporate activity and ultimately a daily personal choice in our lives.
“It has been titled THE BAO WALK because there is a strategic nexus between this and what the BAO BRAND represents and is known for in our state and to our people.
The BAO BRAND embodies wholesome sensitivity, concern and care for the well being of Ekiti
people as we have witnessed in what Governor Biodun
Oyebanji has done and is
doing in our State, and so we believe that there is a strategic brand essence, correlation and value with this good health promoting complements the BAO BRAND activity that The Biodun Oyebanji administration has continued to invest in health care features like building good hospitals and equipping them, we believe this activity is a composite feature in the quest and pursuit of total wellness of Ekiti people by the Governor and his administration.
“So, it is not a political activity but an effort to introduce and promote a culture of and adoption of personal discipline and taking responsibility by individuals for improved health, because when we are healthy as individuals, we will in the long run be healthier as Ekiti people.
“This once in month BAO WALK therefore is anticipated to trigger and raise this consciousness in an attempt to institutionalise walking and ultimately make it a deliberate permanent feature in our lives.
And for those who may want to see it as politics, the response to that is “we need to be healthy to be able to play politics ! because Sick people dont play politics! Nobody plays politics on their hospital beds”and if any activity promotes the average overall good health of Ekiti people, that is good politics! So as we push to make Ekiti people adopt this conscious overall health promoting activity, i e THE BAO WALK, that way EKITI KEEPS WORKING because we will be healthier.
“Other spin off benefits of this exercise is that it promotes and deepens social interaction and interconnection and bonding among our people. this also has inherent good health benefits, that’s why you have health clubs and walk groups in some other parts of the world.
“The length of the monthly walk will be between 10-15 Kilometres, through identifiable safe routes, and it’s open to all as the “walk party ” will be accompanied by men of the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps and other agencies.
“There will be health and wellness talks after the exercise, gifts will be shared randomly, water will be available, basic analgesics, multivitamins will be given to those who may need them .
“The inaugural edition debuts in IKOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA in FEBRUARY, 2025, details shortly.
This is in furtherance of Ekiti People’s overall total wellness.
Let’s make our health a priority today.
Join the BAO WALK. It’s an investment.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT: WHATSAPP ONLY 08135757237″
