Nigeria: ‘Life Itself is Enough Exercise’

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Uzor Odigbo

22 April 2011

What people of his age usually consider a waste of time, former Nigeria Football Association (NFA) member, Austin Akosa, says it gives him pleasure and peace of mind.

Life itself, he said is enough exercise, however, because one eats everyday and need to flush out the debris; it becomes necessary to exercise the body regularly to force unwanted calories out of the system.

Fitness most of the time emanates from the way one’s mind is fixed; if the mind is bothered with too many problems, the body would be heavy, therefore, rather than go to the gym, forgive those who offend you and people who hurt your feelings, the mind would be free to save some energy to do some serious jobs.

‘I do my exercises everyday especially in the morning; it is something I don’t miss because it has formed part of my whole life.’

The former chairman of Baft Art Club of Festival town in Festac Lagos said he normally conducts his keep fit routine in his bedroom, Press-ups and light jogging around his compound forms his main fitness routine.

The 69 year old sports administrator also plays tennis and advised that every thing be done in moderation as things done excessively normally results in disaster.

Fitness of the mind is rubbish when the physical body is unfit and tired. According to him, exercise makes one know his state of health and also determines how long one would live on earth.

The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) instructor says keeping the body healthy through exercises should be compulsory for all, insisting that every available space in every community should be designated as recreation centers to enable people exercise.

He hinted that lack of exercise usually bring about cardiac arrest which is now prevalent in the society. He reiterated that soccer players and ordinary Nigerians killed in such circumstances may have compromised their system by getting involved in things (drugs) they are not supposed to.

‘Exercise gives me peace of mind because my body is fit which makes me work more efficiently. I look the way I look because I take good care of myself not by the quantity of the food I eat or wealth but I do everything in moderation. I don’t eat much and I want to advise that people should not over do things.’

Akosa insisted that one of the things he tries to avoid in life is being indebted to people.

‘When you owe people money, your blood level will rise which is not good for your health, therefore, avoid being indebted to people and have rest of mind.’

He advised that nothing should prevent any Nigerian from making time available for exercises.

Akosa informed that vigorous exercise makes one sweat and when sweat goes out of the body of an individual, it puts the whole body in a state of regeneration resulting in good health. People should exercise according to their capacity. ‘I take my time during exercises, I do it slowly and when I discover I am having problems going at my usual speed, I stop.

He states that “most people think that walking or trekking is not part of exercise, but I can tell you that when you walk a good distance, your body will surely react in a different way that would make you feel good.”

The widely traveled CAF instructor said most Nigerians do not have exercise cultures, because they are naturally strong and work in the farms without modern implements the way the whites do it; it became unnecessary to do exercises.

But today, technology has spread all over Africa and indeed Nigeria where human labour has been replaced with machines, which makes it wiser for people to engage in one form of exercise or the other.

He advised company chief executives not to spare any time without exercise such that the energy to do their job would not fail them.

I’m encouraged that most Nigerian elites are now enrolling into clubs, some also play golf for fitness and business purpose and this is an encouraging sign that many people are now imbibing the culture of keeping fit. But many still believe that good food or dieting would enhance their fitness, it would only bring freshness to the body not fitness.’

Akosa however advised government to assist clubs in rehabilitating worn out sports infrastructures as to encourage more elite to exercise without persuasion.

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