FITNESS WITH SAFETY IN MIND.

Published: Tuesday, 22 October 2013 00:00

Written by John Zedomi

SIR: Health and fitness are very vital to our existence and keeping fit over the years in our society has gained a lot of currency. These days it is not out of place to see Lagosians even on working days engaging in one form of exercise or the other. However, safety cannot be overlooked in our quest for fitness and that is why what I see every Sunday morning heading towards Lagos Island (on my way to church) on Western (Funso Williams) Avenue is most disturbing, and it needs to be checked urgently before disaster occurs.
  You would see people including children jogging right on the flyovers, narrow walkways and medians without recourse to oncoming vehicles while motorists have a hard time trying to avoid them. Those who engage in this act are seemingly oblivious of the danger to their lives and I believe it is high time the Lagos State Government intervened to curb this practice, not just on Western (Funso Williams) Avenue but other roads where the safety of the lives of both people and motorists is being compromised. There is an urgent need by the relevant authorities to be proactive in this matter to avert disaster. A stitch in time saves nine.
John Zedomi,
Lagos.

The foregoing letter was sent in by a concerned citizen. Borrowing from his words, health and fitness issues have gained a lot of currency over the years. Reasons for this is obvious. Having observed the continuous drift into in-activeness and disease by the society, it is expected that a responsible and responsive leadership should be concerned lest it finds itself in a situation whereby the bulk of her much needed funds will go into treating the citizens for diseases contracted and acquired along the line while neglecting the delivery of infrastructures needed for better living, not on purpose but due to scarcity of funds.
    There is an adage which says " If you think safety is expensive, try accident" This explains the importance of Safety. Where the citizens gets involved in fatal road accidents in attempt to keep fit, who will take the blame? and what will the society stand to blame from such situation? Relevant authorities should be more responsive in the area of providing designated places for exercise.