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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning led hundreds
of people on road walk for diabetes awareness in Abeokuta, the Ogun
State capital, saying “diabetes kills only careless people.”
Obasanjo who was joined in the road walk by the Oluwo of Iwoland,
Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi (Osun State) and Commissioner of Health
in Ogun State, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, added if one took care of oneself,
one would discover that “diabetes is not a killer disease.”
The Ebora Owu who noted he is now well above 80 and could walk
with agility despite being diabetic(covering a distance of 1km uphill
of the distance on foot during the walk), lamented that many of the
nation’s youth rarely exercise.
“Diabetes is not a disease that should kill, I was diagnosed to be
diabetic more than 30 years ago but rather, I am growing strong, if you
don’t believe I am growing strong and you didn’t witness this walk, come
and see me at night, you will know I am growing strong, come and see me
in the morning, you will know I am growing, even in the afternoon, you
will know I am growing strong.
“What is necessary is a management of diabetes. Some people said
some diseases are incurable, but diabetes is manageable and compliant.
“My headmaster in primary school was diagnosed at the age of 50 and died at age 85, you will agree with he tried.
“What to do is that if you’re diabetic, don’t be nonchalant about
it and don’t eat carelessly. Three things are important, the food you
eat, regular exercise and prescribed medication, those are the three
most important things.
“You can be diabetic and still lives till 100, I don’t know when I
would die but I am above 80 and many of the youth could not catch up
with my pace during the exercise this morning, many of them were
running after me.
” This is my message. Whether you’re diabetic or you have a family
or friend with diabetic, diabetes is not a killer disease or it should
not be a killer disease unless you are careless,” Obasanjo said.
The about two kilometre walk which began at the Marque within the
sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta,
coursed through MKO Abiola Way and had 15 minutes stop – over at the
premises Sunny Yinka Oil on same before turning to end it at the take
off point.
The road walk was organized by the Southwest zone of the Diabetes
Association of Nigeria(DAN) in collaboration with OOPL to mark the 2017
edition of World Diabetes Day.
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