Cyriacus Nnaji
In a bid to draw global attention to the wanton annihilation of lives which is induced by gender and sexual molestation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) One Billion Rising in conjunction with Initiative to Resist Institutional Slavery and Exploitation (IRISE) have joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s 16 days activism against gender based violence through fitness training and martial Art.
The essence of the 16 days of activism was to draw attention to the escalating rate of gender-based violence and to say enough is enough in that regard.
The event which took place at Royal Rex Hotel, Okota, Lagos State on November 30, 2024, saw men and women, young and old train under the supervision of experts in fitness training and martial art and Health.
According to Omodele Ibitoye Ejeh, One Billion Rising Coordinator for Nigeria, and Executive Director, IRISE, said, “This is a way One Billion Rising and IRISE joined the world to celebrate 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. 25th of November to December 10 every year is international days for activism against gender-based violence. So we are using workout and martial art as means to call attention to the escalating rate of gender-based violence, inside Nigeria and all across the world.”
She decried the rampant reports of killings of innocent young girls on social media and called for return to the family unit as a way of building a gender-based violence free society.
“So if you look at the social media space recently you see pictures of young girls being murdered by their classmates, friends, boyfriends, pastors, and family members. It is enough for communities to begin to rage, it is enough for the world to wake up, this is a pandemic, I tell you. Is it not enough violence for people to come and say what is going on? We really need to go back to the family unit and begin to impact our children with the right kind of education.
“Like when I was younger I could wake up in the morning and go to Chibuike’s house and that is a male friend without fear of being molested sexually or murdered, but this time around it has gone beyond sexual molestation, this is murder, this is constant killing of young girls every day. We have to talk about it,”
Speaking on the use of Workout and Martial Art to draw attention to violence against women, she said “One thing people don’t understand about Martial art is that martial art is not a means to violence, it teaches a lot of things that include concentration, patience, and a lot of activities that has to do with focus. So martial art is not only about self-defense, it teaches life skills. People only see martial art from the self-defense part but what about the other sides, it is also very important. And when you talk about workout, workkout is not just about fitness, it is a total lifestyle, so to intersect marshal art with workout to stop gender-based violence is a critical idea; it is a sensitisation campaign.
Millicent who works in a law firm, was one of the ladies that participated in the exercises and said ”The event was nice, it is amazing to see both young and old come together to train, I feel good, refreshing.” She said the simple self defence techniques has equipped her for self-defense against violence in case she found herself in such a situation.
Samuel Agbai Okali, Fitness coach from Big Sam Fitness Training, took the session on Aerobic Tabata, which entails focusing on the tommy. He said “Since the other coaches concentrated on the general exercise, so I focused on the tommy aspect of the body which helps to eliminate the tommy fat.”
He said that there is 110% chance that the tabata aerobics can help to deal with excess fat in the tommy instead of engaging in surgery which is not totally safe.
Shoyooye Sola Sunaka, from Saunakachin Karate Academy is the Lagos State karate instructor, as well as the karate coach, Lagos State University (LASU). He took the session on karate which is mainly self-defense, he said “Self-defense does not come with style; it is the ability to stand your ground and make people give you your respect.
“What we did here today is not for fighting, it is not meant for the women to be arrogant tor go to the streets and be fighting. Just as you know, the concept of Martial Art, you will hardly see martial art specialist fighting on the street of Lagos, it is not to train hooligans, it is for people to train their body, train their mind, it gives you self- esteem, it gives you self-control, the ability to see fight and avoid it,” Sunaka said.
