Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the weekend stated that he remains the only head of government in Africa that has ventured to walk on the streets with the people for as long as 91.5 kilometer stretch as a test of his popularity and acceptance of his government by the people
Aregbesola, while speaking on the popular audience feedback program tagged “Ogbeni till day break” at the WOCDIF center in Osogbo, said he achieved the feat through the healthy living program tagged Walk-to-Live.
He said the Walk has gone a long way in promoting healthy living among the people and created a high sense of unity and productivity among them.
An analysis of the various editions of the program which cumulated at 91.5kilometres show that the governor started the program in Osogbo the state capital on18/2/12 walking with a crowd through a total of 5.8 km.
Two other editions of Walk-to-Live held in Osogbo with 4.8 km and 5.2 km respectively before the next edition held in Iwo on Saturday 14/4/2012 with the governor walking 5.6km.
The rest of the editions show Ile-Ife (6.8km), Ila-Orangun (6km), Ikire (5.8km), Ilesa (5.2km), Ikirun/Iragbiji (5.8km), Ede (6.2km), Ejigbo (4.8km), Ijebu Jesa (6.2km), Apomu/Ikire (5.4km), (14.), Ilobu/Irep (6km), Ipetumodu (6.8km), Osogbo (5km).
Aregbesola, who stated that the Walk will be revived soon, explained that the feat has only been beaten by the former Chinese leader, Chairman Mao Tse Tong and the late Cuban revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro.
He said the walk with the people of Osun shows that there can be a government that has so much faith in the people, stressing that for a leader or governor in Africa to walk freely with the people in their community goes a long way to show that the people have ample reasons to be connected to such a leader.
“It is amazing to know that I have walked a total number of 95.1 kilometers with the people of this great state right in their corridors and immediate communities for the promotion of physical fitness and healthy living as preparation for high productivity.
“It goes a long way to show that this government is in firm connection with the people of Osun and it also portrays the fact that our people have so much faith and confidence in us.
“We are the first government in Osun to take the health of the people seriously to the extent of having a healthy walk with them.
“It is interesting to know that the feat of walking a total distance of 95.1 kilometers directly and closely with the people has only been beaten by just two leaders in the world.
“The only two individuals that did more than us in history are Chairman Mao and Fidel Castro.
” Chairman Mao of China, who during the coastal revolution, moved with his people across the entire China to mobilize the people for his revolution and the second was Fidel Castro of Cuba that marched from Siamedra in the Eastern part of Cuba to Havana.
“Outside those two individuals, count me as the only head of a government in Africa that had moved with the people to cover as much as 95.1kilometer of roads.
“I own the record and I will still continue.
The Governor explained that he embarked on the walk with the youths so as to build in them the fitness for productivity, noting that it is interesting that the people joined the walk with pump and pageantry because they love their governor.
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