Kunle Adelabu
Guests and members of Development Vanguard (De Vanguard), a political and development platform based in Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division have commended the group for its impactful efforts in the last one year of its formation.
In commemoration of the anniversary, the group, Saturday, April 10, 2021, staged a ‘Walk for Fitness’ during which a large number of youths turned out enmasse and walked along major roads in Igbogbo township.
The participants took off at Bakare’s house in Igbogbo and walked through Awolowo Way, Adeboruwa palace, Club 24, Oba Omolaja Way, Meri Road down to the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Way and finally berthed at the Igbogbo Township Stadium.
At the stadium, participants were taken through light exercise while Mrs Biola Ogunlewe, a health expert, also engaged them in health talk and advised them to ensure good living.
“Good exercise makes you function well at home and your respective working places, hence, you have to ensure that you exercise your body very well”, she advised.
“When you are also physically fit, there will be no doubt that you’ll be socially fit and mentally alert”.
While encouraging periodic medical checks for people at 40 and above, Mrs Ogunlewe also warned against the consumption of certain things at this age.
“For you to have sound health and enjoy yourselves, you must do away with some things once you are 40 years. Things like alcohol while salt intake must be stopped and you must take more fruits and vegetables.
“Take good care of your health while you can. What you did this morning is a very good one and you must continue to engage in walking and other exercises regularly.
“Ensure that you go for a medical checkup to know your health status so that your body will not fail you”, she said.
Some of the guests and members that participated in the anniversary walk for fitness spoke with THE IMPACT at the Igbogbo Township Stadium.
Prince Olugbenga Adegbite Ogunlewe, a public servant and the President of the Association of Senior Servants in Igbogbo, while applauding De Vanguard for impacting on the community, also added that he can vouch for the integrity of members of the group.
“They have been doing developmental projects and have also been affecting the community in one way or the other and today is just a typical example with the walk for fitness to mark De Vanguard’s first year anniversary.
“You know that one cannot compromise safe and good sound health. What you are seeing today go a long way but most people might not see what they are doing but they are actually keeping fit.
“They are doing good and I applaud and appreciate them all.
“Growing up, we used to be told that we are the future of tomorrow but that future is now and I am happy that we are having young, dynamic and great minds gathering together. I can see a lot of responsible minds that are ready to take up the battle and the challenges ahead and I can vouch for quite a number of them because I have no doubt about their integrity”, Mr Ogunlewe said.
Mr Faniyi Olugbenga Babatunde, Chairman of the Igbogbo Day Planning Committee, commended the youths for organizing themselves into a group with focus on development.
“The group is all about the youths coming together to find a focus for the community and making efforts to achieve unity amongst themselves.
“The first year is a very good start for them. We have seen that they control a lot of youths and have influence which helps their commanding status. It’s quite impressive and we are happy with them, that’s why somebody like me is joining them.
“It is important to assist them in finding good focus for themselves and the entire community.
“Though, a year is not enough to judge any group, but let’s look at what they have been able to do within that year. The fact is that they have plans regarding where they are going. They certainly have a target for them to have come together.
“I can see that the group is really improving considering the impressive turnout of people here today to celebrate its first year anniversary. There is unity among them”, he said.
Mr Adekunle Oluwafemi Odumade, a senior political adviser to Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, also said that the group has been impressive since its formation.
“They have been very impressive and I thank God for being a part of this anniversary. I thank them for organizing this fitness walk.
“They have been making an impact and with this walk, I have seen that they have great influence because many that I did not expect to be here are actually present”.
The President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition and a chieftain of De Vanguard, Mr Odunniyi Olugbenga, described the last one year as a great journey for the group in developing the community and members of De Vanguard.
“The last one year has been very pleasant and a good journey. It’s been a great journey from the first day of the inauguration of this group.
“We are people of like – mind who came together for the development of the community and for ourselves politically, economically, socially and mentally”.
He said that members of the group are preparing themselves physically and mentally for the challenges ahead in political engagement and development in Igbogbo.
“The group encompasses all the youths and others in the community and we agreed that we are lagging behind in many fronts, most especially politics, and there is a need for us to cover up the vacuum that has been created for decades.
“It is high time that we realize that and do the needful by covering up for the lost grounds and if you have to cover up for lost grounds, you have to be physically and mentally stable. That’s the reason we are staging this fitness walk to mark the first anniversary of De Vanguard.
“As a member of the Advisory Committee of the De Vanguard, I believe that we are moving forward and we shall get there”, he said.
Miss Olafare Comfort Oladunni, Member of the Lagos State Judo Association and Assistant General Secretary of Igbogbo Youth Coalition, also said that the group has unity of purpose in bringing diverse people to work together for development.
She commended the initiative for the walk for fitness in commemorating the anniversary of the group.
“The truth must be told that in just a space of one year, De Vanguard has ensured liveliness in the community and brought youths of diverse groups together.
“It has also tried to bring youths that are actively engaged with different political parties together under an umbrella and they are all doing fine and well. I think that is unity of purpose.
“This walk is really helpful and very wonderful. It is an organized walk which involves all forms of exercises. We had dancing, walking and others during the walk and there was an instructor to guide us”, she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Tolulope Faniyi, President of the De Vanguard, while also scoring the group high in the last one year, has also said that the public should expect more from the group in the areas of health outreach, political engagements and capacity building for youths amongst others.
“Our performances have been optimum in the last one year. We have tried to achieve what we have set out to do.
“For the past one year that we formed the group, there has been consistent meetings where we engage and sensitize our members about political issues, what the group stands for and how to be better youths to ourselves and the community.
“We have also been advocating amongst ourselves on how to engage in positive politicking and also impact on our community.
“We shall also be having a lot of health interventions for the community as well as entrepreneurship and humanity capacity programmes not only for the youths but the entire community.
“There is a lot to expect from De Vanguard”, he assured the community.
