Regular exercise keeps elderly fit, Obasanjo says
August 16, 2026 7:09 pm
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo leading some OOPL Senior Citizens club in Abeokuta, Ogun State on about 2.5km walk as part of its keep fit programme, CREDIT: Special Assistant to Obasanjo on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasised the need for elderly people to engage in regular exercise to maintain their health as they grow older.
Obasanjo, according to a statement made available to journalists on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, stated this on Saturday after leading about 100 members of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Senior Citizens Club in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on a 2.5km walk as part of the club’s keep-fit programme.
The elders reportedly walked from the clubhouse inside the OOPL to Iyana Mortuary and back to the clubhouse.
The former president, during the walk, harped on the need for regular exercise as part of efforts to ensure better living conditions as people grow older.
He described the walk as both an awareness campaign and an encouragement for senior citizens to remain active.
According to the former president, “The essence of this, you can see that they are senior citizens, they are young Papas and Mamas. Normally, you can only be a member of the club unless you are 70 and above and I am just getting to that age.
“The Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland is our patron. I am a member of the club and the idea is to show and to encourage and to let people know that in growing old, exercise is a vital element to make sure that you grow old graceful, graciously and in a way that even when you are old, you are still able to live the way you should live.
“It is an exercise and encouragement and as advice for people, you can see this is Mama and Baba. This Baba is 90 (pointing) and as you can see him looking (shemu shemu) fit, fit.”
The President of the club, Group Captain Ayobamiji Erinfolami (retd.), commended the former Nigerian leader for demonstrating commitment and leading by example.
Also, a close aide to the former president, Elder Udo Umoren, described the walk as “the needed tonic to keep us going and as rightly said by him, keeping us graciously and gracefully. We shall continue appreciate him for this kind of motivation and encouragement as we continue to grow into our old age.”
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