Fastest-growing fitness firm on saturday said it invested over N700 million to expand its footprints to provide Abuja residents with a healthy lifestyle.
Founder, I-Fitness, Mr Foluso Ogunwale, at the inauguration of the gym in Abuja said that the
investment would help to instil the culture of health and wellness amongst Nigerians .
Ogunwale said that the Gwarinpa branch being inaugurated was the 16th among the various branches opened by the firm adding that the Wuse Zone 5 branch would still come onbaord.
He said that company’s decision to open two new outlets in Abuja was borne out of the desire to ensure easy access to lifestyle facilities.
According to him ,this has become imperative because the World Health Organization (WHO) 2021 report, stated that non-communicable diseases account for 71% of global deaths.
He said that at the top of the list of these non-communicable diseases were cardiovascular diseases, iabetes, cancer and respiratory diseases adding that cardiovascular disease alone kills over 27 million people yearly.
He said that physical inactivity and harmful lifestyle habits were the leading causes of these health problems due to the kind of lifestyle people live.
” So, as you know I fitness is currently West Africa’s fastest growing fitness chain, helping people to live healthy and provide the enabling environment .
“The idea is to make fitness a thing that is very common to build that culture of fitness and wellness among the people of Abuja and create a real social destination point for people around here.
” We have had a lot concentration in Lagos and we are quite excited because this is the first time we coming outside Lagos,we are opening in Gwarinpa today and we plan to have to three to four centres in Abuja
“The government should do its bits and the private sector would have to do their bits, and that is where the partnership comes in, so for us ,this is our we show that fitness is part of the healthcare delivery system .
“This is preventive health and since we are part of the system it is partnership so doing our bit counts a lot because in Abuja ,we are going to be touching thousands of lives .”
Ogunwale said that every i-Fitness facility provided an enabling, fun, and Friendly environment, encouraging physical fitness and healthy living.
He said that i-fitness was about community and bonding people together and building friendship adding that being a member would grant one access to all its other 15 branches.
Ogunwale said that the company planed a digital platform to assist people who cannot make it to the gym to keep fit especially those at the grassroots at an affordable price .
He advised Nigerians to spend the Easter holiday with fitness in mi d adding that “fitness and wellness is our personal responsibility, whereas you can delegate work to people, you cannot delegate your personal fitness.”
Hr urged imperials to step by taking little steps of physical activities because it is very important and that they should pay attention to what they eat .
Ms Nnenna Onyewuchi ,Board Member,i-fitness encouraged women especially married one to keep fit adding that “it is not about your husbands ,it is about you.
Accorsing to Onyewuchi ,the healthier people are, the happier they become and the more energy they will have to be able to do the things that they want to do because health is wealth .
She added that the healthier citizens were, the stronger and more competent they would feel to be able to chase their dreams.
Onyewuchi said that there was a strong correlation between physical health and mental health.
She said that being active helps to tackle depression and coming to gyms brings people out of loneliness tlas they get to meet other people there.
“The great thing about i-fitness is that we are a real family , there is community here ,so even if you don’t have a lot of community in your life, you can come and find a community here.
“Working out will help you feel better, but also coming here and meeting the amazing people here can help you form community,”she said(NAN)