The President of, the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association, Mrs Oghogho Gwabin Musa has reemphasised, the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating habits which are crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being, because a healthy eating habit helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing the risk of obesity-related diseases.
Mrs Musa made the emphasis today at the DEPOWA monthly Aerobic exercise for the year 2025 tagged "WALK FOR HEALTH" aimed at promoting the importance of an active lifestyle for women’s health which was held at the Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.
It would recalled that Mrs Musa, the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff launched the monthly Aerobic exercise for all military wives and barrack women to keep fit and live a healthy lifestyle free of sickness.
Mrs Musa who encourages participants of the the aerobic exercise with a free bottle flask for water to encourage them of taking water, noted that all regular exercises reduce stress, diabetes and depression by releasing and doing things also known as feeding good hormones.
"I know right now all of you are feeling very good because those hormones are already out. The patterns of exercise and healthy eating habits cannot be arrived. Hence they need to engage in physical activities and hobbies that bring joy and motivation.
"And you can even see some of my women. It won't mean when you look at me very well. You will know that it's been working. And so that is why we keep doing it. Just keep reminding and keep pushing.
Mrs Musa stressed that aerobic exercise is being observed at every formation and barracks across the country. "Because we can't have everybody here. And so some of the leaders are also here to take this message back to their different and various formations
She urged them to remain dedicated to eating habits and regular exercise as they look forward to rotating the values monthly within the associations and formations.
The NAFOWA president, Architect Mrs Rakiya Abubakar while addressing journalists after the aerobic exercise noted that the exercise has been really impactful. She said a lot of NAFOWA members do partake in the monthly exercise.
And we could see the difference. Within their own teams. And as the people of person said, other states are keen on the same program.
She added that military women are resilient. "So it adds to our resilience. And a healthy body. It's capable of handling all the stress that will come our way".
Mrs Happiness Wesley, one of the executive members of DEPOWA and the founder of the Grace Thomas Foundation assured that she is going to initiate member of her foundation too, to encourage people of the importance of exercise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, balancing exercise, healthy eating, drinking lots of water, to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
"Grace Thomas Foundation is all about mental health and creating awareness of the dangers of substance use. So with exercise, by the time you engage the youth in exercise, it takes their mind off-idleness and going into substance abuse. So this is part of what Grace Thomas Foundation is introducing and getting the youth involved in exercise, regular exercise, making them fit, you know, and healthy." she said
Mrs Antonia Yachatoreki shared her experience as a regular participant in the DEPOWA monthly aerobic with newsmen. She said lost about 15 kg since last year. "You know, the health talks, the, you know, lectures that tell us the importance of working out as women.
"The importance of staying fit. I've seen a lot of health benefits. So it has really impacted on me and even my family, as a whole, because I've incorporated some of the things I've learned from the poor.
"And if you allow your body to be destroyed, you can't retrieve it because you just have one body. So I advise people to focus on their health, focus on their fitness. You understand you can have goals and aspirations, but without a healthy body, you can't carry out your dreams and aspirations.
"So I advise people to walk out, watch their diets, meditate, and just in general, then they should also go for regular check-offs, because those are some of the things that the poor have emphasized for us to do routine check-offs.
Dr. Promise Ogan, from the Army Command and NAOWA Hospital Abuja, educated barracks women on simple lifestyle changes, like regular exercise, can help ward off various diseases and illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers are just a few examples.
Dignitaries present at the first aerobic exercise in 2025 were the President of the Nigerian Airforce Officers Wives Association, Architect Mrs Rakiya Abubakar, representative of the President of Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), representative of the President Navy Officers Wives Association (NOWA) and the representative of the President Police Officers Wives Association (POWA).
