By Abu Haroun
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi at the weekend witnessed large turn out of fitness enthusiasts that trooped to take part in the quarterly combined aerobic exercises amidst banters and pleasantries.
The aerobic exercise brought together different fitness clubs within Bauchi metropolis and suburbs with the aim of taking part in the joint aerobic exercises.
Speaking shortly after the session, chairman of the Bauchi State coalition of fitness clubs, Honorable Aminu Aliyu Garu thanked members of different clubs for turning out and making the aerobic session colorful.
Ali Garu, who is also the current house of representative member, representing Bauchi Central at Federal House of Representatives , said that apart from health gains of the quarterly exercise, the aerobic session also creates an avenue to meet and greet each other, thereby fostering friendship and unity amongst participants.
The chairman then thanked the local organizing committee and promised that subsequent combined session will be improved upon.
In his remarks, Speaker Bauchi State house of assembly, Right Honorable Abubakar Y. Sulaiman expressed his delight on being part of the session.
He said that he always attends weekend sessions of his mother-club, Government House Aerobic and Fitness Club, but that the joint training session of all clubs is refreshing and also creates an atmosphere of camaraderie between members of different fitness clubs.
The sports and fitness enthusiast further enjoined the general public to take their health issues seriously by engaging in intermittent exercise.
Our correspondent spoke with some of the participants that took part in the combined fitness session.
Sharing his thoughts on the event, a sports enthusiast and former Director of sports in the Bauchi State ministry of sports, Haruna Bako said that it was heartwarming to see some of the fitness clubs gathered in one arena taking part in the exercise. He then called on other organizations to emulate what the Bauchi fitness clubs were doing which, according to him, fosters unity in communities.
Dr. Saba’atu Elizabeth Danladi also shared her thoughts with our correspondent saying that it gladdens her heart to see the active participation of women unlike that of previous quarters.
Dr. Danladi, who also doubles as the representative of the Old Airport Fitness Club further said that though the turn out of women was encouraging, she is still calling on more women to be involved in such activities and also encouraged men to be bringing along their wives so, they too could benefit from the aerobic exercises. She said that when a woman is ill, it affects the entire family and that with such aerobic exercises, chances of falling sick is reduced to the bearest minimum.
Also speaking on the sidelines, a member of the local organizing committee (LOC) of the joint aerobic session Alhaji Kabiru Ahmad described the outing as encouraging, compared to what was obtained in the previous sessions.
Ahmed, who also holds the traditional title of Walin Gabas of Misau Emirate Council, then called on members of the general public to register with at least one of the clubs with a view to benefiting from the weekly aerobic exercises of the respective fitness clubs in Bauchi metropolis and suburbs.
Our correspondent reports that over seven different fitness clubs took part in the exercise.