Obasanjo leads diabetes awareness walk as medical experts urge healthy living

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday led a brisk 15-minute walk within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta to raise awareness on the importance of physical activity in preventing and managing diabetes.

The event was organised to commemorate the 2025 World Diabetes Day, marked globally every November 14.

Obasanjo, who has lived with diabetes for more than 30 years, was accompanied on the walk by medical personnel, security operatives from the Nigeria Police and Federal Road Safety Corps, as well as members of the National Youth Service Corps.

Speaking after the exercise, the Executive Director of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, Dr. Olalekan Makinde, said the former president’s participation in the walk was a powerful message to Nigerians on the need to embrace healthy living.

“Just like the almost 90-year-old former President has shown with his 15-minute brisk walk covering several metres, we are encouraging Nigerians to engage in physical exercise to stay fit,” Makinde said.

“Diabetes is one of the most impactful diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy habits. Many people spend long hours sitting in offices, driving around, or relying on motorcycles. We are urging everyone to embrace exercise and reduce their intake of junk food.”

Makinde added that Obasanjo maintains a strict exercise routine. “Before joining this walk, Baba had already completed another session lasting between 30 minutes and one hour – and he was still eager for more,” he said.

An endocrinologist from the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Dr. Adedeji Otukoya, who also participated in the walk, warned that diabetes cases are rising in Nigeria due to unhealthy lifestyles.

He advised Nigerians to “park their cars once in a while and walk,” adding that regular physical activity helps strengthen the muscles and improve blood sugar control.

Similarly, the Medical Officer in charge of the Ogun State Police Command’s Medical Directorate, Dr. Ihegboro Minachiso, emphasised that lifestyle changes are essential to improving health outcomes.

Minachiso, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, noted: “Many of us pray to live long, yet we avoid the simple practices that keep us healthy – like the short walk we just completed. You can see everyone sweating. Exercise, especially brisk walking, must become a priority.”

He added that while medication is helpful, “lifestyle modification remains the most effective way to prevent many medical conditions.”