HEALTH AND FITNESS: BGCCI organizes a dance workout session for girls of Ikeja Junior High School

Physical exercise should be started early in life of a girl child and maintained throughout different stages of women. Physical activities plays important roles in the promotion of health, the prevention of disease and the management of other risk factors.

Black Girl Child Care Initiative, a Non – governmental organization that is focused on improving and maintaining the general wellbeing of the girl child organized a dance workout tagged GirlUp for girls of Ikeja Junior High School.

The event which took place on the 30th of November 2022 was anchored by a dance instructor who led the girls through some dance routines as a form of exercise
According to the instructor, who also taught them some new easy exercises that can be done at home, He emphasized that physical activities or exercises are not limited to the traditional once we know but can also include dance, recreation, and active living. Physical activities builds confidence and contributes to better health, He added.
Cynthia Anuoluwapo Akinyemi, The Executive Director of Black Girl Care Initiative (BGCCI) affirmed the importance of physical activities for girls.
”it is important for girls and women to increase their relative levels of participation in physical activities as it has been proven to improve negative mood, cognitive functioning and psychological wellbeing. She added that, exercises supports the development of a positive self concept of girls, reduces anxiety, depression and mental stress”
While commending the principal of Ikeja Junior High School on the level of sports activities being done in the school, she encouraged the heads of schools to be more health and fitness oriented and be intentional about incorporating certain physical activities that will capture the interests of young girls whose daily living may see them engage in less physical activities than boys.
In her own words: “ to be physically fit is to have adequate strength, stamina and flexibility, all of which are vital for daily living and would probably see us through some unpleasant unforeseen situations
According to her, girls avoid exercises and sports because some of their parents are physically inactive, lack of energy due to poor fitness, lack of basic skills, fear of looking silly in front of pther peole and the myth that you can’t be feminine and engage in physical exercises
Be a role model, be active yourselves, engage in exercises, have fun, build exercises into school routines, encourage the girls, make them feel comfortable about exercising, She said to the teachers.
On the other hand, She advised the girls to embrace the concept of physical fitness and pursue a career in sports if they desire it, citing the achievement of Tobi Amusan who made Nigerians proud by breaking the 100m world records twice in one night at the world athletics Championship 2022 in Eugene Oregon, Saying “A potential Tobi could be here right now”
The Principal of Ikeja Junior High school, Matilda Olajumoke was in High spirits as she commended the organizers of GirlUp and the entire BGCCI team and describing the event as a pleasant awakening.
In excitement, she said, “I would engagein more exercises from now onwards”
The highlights of the events were too many to pick from, but the distribution of water bottles from BGCCI, which emphasized the importance of staying hydrated during physical activities was a well appreciated gesture.