People of Bane community in Khana Local Government Area,in  Rivers State, held their fourth edition of its annual walk fitness exercise programme tagged” I walk, jog and run”.
The programme was part of activities lined up during the new year festivity celebrations in the community.
The colourful event saw massive  participation including men, women, youths and children that came out for the exercise that took off from Bane to Kwawa and back to Bane.
Bane community is the home town of the famous environmental and human rights activist late  Kenule Saro Wiwa.
The  programme was sponsored by Mene- Senewo Ikpobari Dumletam, miinagbe the second, Mene  Nyorzorgor in colloboration with  Project Poetry Bash (PROPOBA) and  Bane-Kenwigbara Historical society (Ban-Ken HS)
Speaking during the programme, the coordinator of the event, Mr Ipenu Barinua Clement explained the importance of the programme, saying that exercise helps to promote good living and healthy life
According to him, one of the reasons of the  event was to promote unity and love among the people, adding that the crowd that participated in the programme was a  clear testimony of unity and peaceful cohesion in the area.
Clement opined that the sporting event was also designed to enhance the general wellness and fitness of the people of Bane and promote brotherly love, peace and unity among them that will in turn propel development in the community
“We walk to exercise the body ,we walk to release the mind ,sports promote unity and with unity you can do everything such as developments .you can see the crowd ,sports is good to the body and it  brings unity and togetherness among the people” Clement said.
Also  speaking, the sponsor of the event , Mene Senewo Ikpo Bari Dumletam, thank the people of the  community  for coming out enmass to make the programme a colourful one.
He advised youths to abstain from any    activities that will not promote the  good name of  the community and society.
“Avoid what will bring bad name to the family and community at large and continue to be good ambassadors of vanguard of peace, let our community continue to be peaceful” he stated.
In her reaction, one  of the female  participants ,Miss Friday MeebeeBari  expressed gratitude to the organisers of  the  programme ,saying that the event always bring people home  from all spectrum of the society  to the community every year .

By: Amadi Akojubi