Don tasks Nigerians on healthy living to drive national productivity, prosperity

A professor of Human Kinetics and Health Education at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI), Temitope Alade, has urged Nigerians to return to healthier traditional eating habits and embrace regular physical exercise, saying a healthy population remains the foundation for a productive and prosperous nation.

Alade made the call while delivering the 10th inaugural lecture of the university, titled “Healthy People, Healthy Nation: Issues of Lifestyle and National Productivity”.

Alade, while examining the connection between individual wellbeing and national development, said Nigeria could not maximise its human and economic potential if citizens continued to neglect healthy lifestyle practices.

He maintained that the health of the population directly affects the capacity of the workforce to contribute effectively to economic and social development.

The don explained that lifestyle goes beyond what people consume, stressing that it also covers physical activity, sleeping patterns, relationships, stress management and other daily choices that determine an individual’s overall wellbeing.

He urged Nigerians to become more deliberate about the decisions they make concerning their health.

According to him, “The increasing dependence on processed foods requires urgent attention, particularly because many Nigerians are gradually abandoning healthier traditional diets.”

He advocated greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins while encouraging citizens to reduce excessive intake of unhealthy processed foods.

Alade also called for a culture of regular physical exercise, urging individuals to devote adequate time to physical activities, recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week, noting that physical activity strengthens the body, improves mental alertness and supports productivity.

He stressed that adequate sleep and rest should not be treated as luxuries, advising Nigerians to maintain between seven and nine hours of quality sleep.

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According to him, proper rest enables the body and mind to recover and improves an individual’s capacity to perform effectively at home, school and the workplace.

Alade said health education remained one of the most effective ways of producing citizens capable of making informed decisions about their wellbeing.

He also advocated greater use of Information and Communication Technology in the teaching and learning of Health Education.

The don further urged government and policymakers to develop supportive public policies capable of promoting healthy living, including stronger nutrition standards, effective food labelling and measures to discourage unhealthy lifestyle choices.

The Vice-Chancellor of BOUESTI, Professor Babatunde Omojola, lauded the efforts of the inaugural lecture and described the lecture as timely and significant to national development.

He said, “If we are not healthy as a people, we are not a healthy nation” and urged policymakers to take the recommendations seriously.

Omojola also encouraged students to appreciate the importance of Human Kinetics and physical activity, stressing that promoting healthy people remains essential to building a productive and sustainable Nigeria.