Ogun monarch recommends exercise for healthy, long life

By Adejoke Adeleye/Ogun

The Olu of Ilawo, Oba (Prof.) Alexander Olusegun McGregor has recommended exercise most especially long walk as the best medicine for healthy, long life.

MacGregor, a Professor of Bio-pharmaceutics and the current President of the Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology said this when he led residents of his community in a 7.5km health walk in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to mark his second coronation anniversary.

The road walk, which drew participants of all ages, was part of the monarch’s efforts to promote health and wellness in his domain.

The monarch said exercise is the best drug for any health challenge and stressed that a poor man who walks kilometers of road everyday stands the chance to live longer than a rich man who is always in a car.

“I warmly encourage us to always do a road walk at least twice a week because exercise is good for the body and the best drug to any health challenge.

“Those who walks stands a chance to live longer that a rich man who is always in his car. 10-20 min exercise energizes the body and prevent the body from any health issues.

“That poor man that walks kilometer daily stands a chance to live longer and better than a rich man who is always in a car

This is my area of specialization abroad and I know what I am saying. Many of you do see me at lease twice in a week when I do the road walk,”, Oba MacGregor said.

The health walk, which witnessed the presence of security personnel from the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), took the monarch and participants to the Arewa Community in the Ago-Ika axis of the metropolis.

The community warmly welcomed Oba McGregor, who assured them of his support in whatever form during their stay in his domain.

In his address to the Arewa Community, Oba McGregor commended them for their peaceful coexistence with their neighbors and encouraged them to be good ambassadors of their respective states while doing business in Egbaland. The monarch also emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation among residents, regardless of their tribes.

The Head of the Arewa Community, Alhaji Mohammad Kamilu, appreciated Oba McGregor for his efforts at uniting all residents under his kingdom and assured him of the community’s support.

In a post-walk interview, Oba McGregor appealed to the Federal Government to consider traditional rulers as critical stakeholders in the creation of state police, citing their knowledge of the grassroots and ability to prevent crime.

He emphasized that state police would give a sense of belonging and commitment to the state and its people, and that traditional institutions would be crucial in making state police effective.

Oba McGregor also highlighted the potential benefits of state police, including healthy competition among states and improved security. He concluded that grassroots issues, such as farmer-herder conflicts, could be solved through collaboration between traditional rulers, stakeholders, and security agencies.

“It is very critical that the federal government considers the impact of the traditional institutions because if you look at the most developed countries of the world, we have the state police. Like we have the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Provincial Police in Canada. These are in addition to the federal forces.

“In actual sense, it is the state Police that has the ability to effectively deliver on crime prevention.

“I dare say that crime prevention cannot be effectively achieved without liaison with the traditional institutions in Nigeria. As the traditional institutions, we know the people and that knowledge gives us the native intelligence to know the criminal elements within our society.

“If you give us the power today, we will route out all the criminals in our society and hand them over to the police.

With particular reference to the federal government’s renewed efforts at creating the State Police, Oba McGregor declared that state Police tends to give a sense of belonging; a sense of commitment and loyalty to the state and by extension, the people.

“Invariably, there will be healthy competitions among state security apparatus in Nigeria because if a state is doing well and its economy is doing well, investors will troop in there. It will encourage other states to follow likewise.

“There are lots of flaws in the current system of federal policing because it is almost like a revolving doors. The state police working with the traditional institutions will make them phenomenally effective. Insecurity will disappear

“All the hullabaloo about farmers-herdsmen’s conflicts are grassroot issues and can be solved if we sit at the traditional rulers roundtable meeting with the stakeholders, the state and the federal police and tangible solutions will be preferred for the entire country.”

Rolling out activities for the Coronation anniversary, the monarch enjoined everyone in his community to join a health check-up initiative and commissioning of projects like boreholes, toilets, educational materials and scholarships for students and many more at Alagbagba community in Odeda Local government on Thursday.

He said this will be followed up by a Muslim Prayer on Friday 19th in his Palace at Orile Ilawo in Ago-Ika, while Saturday is the grand finale when all sons and daughters of Orile Ilawo from all works of life are expected to converge home for the anniversary celebrations.