The stage is set for the inaugural edition of the Lagos Media Marathon. At a press conference held on Thursday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, the modalities and motivation behind the 10km Road Race were revealed to members of the press.
Tony Ubani, the Chairman of the Lagos Media Marathon Committee, said it was necessary for journalists and indeed the public to give a closer look at their health and fitness.
Ubani noted that the planned marathon race is just one of the several programmes being put together to help media practitioners stay healthy.
“We are opening the event to the public; it is not restricted to journalists alone. Sports is really important, and we also want to showcase the good work Lagos State is doing. We want all our journalists to be in good health and since Lagos is the Mecca of journalism in Nigeria, we want to take advantage of that”, the Lagos Media Marathon Committee Chairman stated.
On his part, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos, noted that a media marathon is quite novel, and he expressed delight that Lagos is blazing the trail yet again.
He said, “I am very happy about this development and looking forward to the first edition of the Lagos Media Marathon. We want to prove that journalists are a unique set of people with a unique frame of mind, while carrying out their social responsibilities as respectable members of the society. For Lagos journalists, we want to add value to marathon in Lagos and Nigeria.”
In his own remark, Dr. Kweku Tandor, Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) assured that the Lagos Media Marathon will be well supported by the state as it falls into the action plan of His Excellency Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode.
“It’s our pleasure to be a part of this noble idea which was brought to our notice a few months ago. The marathon is not an event; it is a lifestyle because it brings about tourism and commercial opportunities, and it is a culture we want our people to imbibe. There is nothing the corporate world loves more than a gathering of people”, Tandoh said.
“We are pleased to welcome the Lagos Media Marathon to the fold, and we will put our best foot forward in supporting this initiative on behalf of the Lagos State Government, through the LSSC. We already have the Lagos City Marathon, Lagos Women Marathon and now the Lagos Media Marathon. In the next one year, we are going to be having divisional and sectorial marathon races as well”.
Yussuf Alli, the General Manager for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, who will also oversee the maiden Lagos Media Marathon, assured that the planned 10km race will follow the world’s best practices:
“The route has been measured and will be certified. We are going to have more water stations than usual since we are aware that media men are not trained athletes”, Alli explained.
