A former member of the House of Representatives and Convener of the BAO Walk Initiative, Bimbo Daramola has mapped out plans to inaugurate the Ambassadors, Health and Fitness Card of the initiative in Ekiti State.
The former lawmaker in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Monday said the move was necessitated by the need to sustain the initiative across the 16 local governments of the state.
Daramola noted that the initiative, which has attracted about 30,000 participants in eight local governments so far, is a testament to the acceptability of the initiative aimed at complementing the efforts of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, particularly in the health sector.
“The core mandate will be to continue the health and fitness advocacy initiative in their Local Government Areas as a vehicle to push citizens adoption in their daily lives.
“THE BAO WALK AMBASSADORS will henceforth become the wheel on which the initiative will run, fashioning out more regular walk and healthy living activities in their local Government areas.
“The mandate of the BAO WALK AMBASSADORS will be to continue to deepen the significance; reception and push for sustainability of the generic reasons that informed THE BAO WALK initiative, in conjunction with medical practitioners and institutions within their local Government areas.
“We know that good health is not the EXCLUSIVE PRESERVE OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS, so we will continue to get more persons to take more than casual interest in their health not just waiting till they fall sick simply because Governor Oyebanji is building new hospitals! As Governor Oyebanji had said, if we take lifestyle modification seriously, we may be able to reduce the pressure of our medical centres, system and even save our people money on medicare.
“Our people must not just be aware individually but take more interest so that our corporate wellness as a people will improve. The launch promises to be another chapter in the efforts to connect citizens awareness, encouragement to take personal responsibility to the pursuit and quest for the improved general well being of Ekiti people.
“Already THE BAO WALK has become the premium and premier health and fitness initiative in Ekiti State and to God’s glory. We have managed to sustain it for this period with the material support of a very few good spirited persons to whom we remain profoundly grateful.
“Additionally, we appreciate the Governor, His Excellency Biodun Oyebanji’s for this rare indulgence of not allowing politics to consume the initiative to prioritise our health.
“As we proceed into this next phase, there will be more health talks, community based health support activities, actions and health management efforts like the campaign for at least twice in a year medical check up for citizens at a discounted cost from our partner health institutions and organisations willing to support the dream of a healthier Ekiti and not waiting till citizens ill.
“The anticipated results from the aggregate of these efforts is to complement what the Government of Oyebanji is doing toward making us live more qualitative lives by focussing on the finer details hitherto ignored or given less attention but that can help us live better and longer.
“Ultimately our hope is that all these seemingly little but impactful health awareness undertakings will help complement and improve life expectancy of our people in Ekiti State, as being advanced by the Governor Biodun Oyebanji administration and by extension the improvement in the quality of our lives.”
The event has been scheduled to hold on the 8th of October, 2025 at the NTC Events Centre Ado-Ekiti at 10am while the admission is free but entry will be strictly for attendees with the BAO WALK ‘T’ SHIRT for those who had participated in any of the previous editions.