Health Is Wealth, MoneyPoint Coordinator Tells Journalists, Business Owners at Osun NUJ Health Walk

The Osun State Coordinator of MoneyPoint,
Olufemi Olaniyan, has urged journalists and business owners to prioritise their health through regular exercise and medical check-ups, describing good health as essential to business sustainability, productivity and economic growth.

Olaniyan made the call during a health walk organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, as part of activities marking the council’s 35th anniversary.

He said many business owners concentrated on increasing revenue and expanding their enterprises without paying adequate attention to their physical well-being.

According to him, the health of an entrepreneur can significantly affect the continuity and growth of a business, stressing that financial success means little when the owner is unable to enjoy its benefits due to poor health.

“The role of money is different from the role of health. If you are not healthy, no matter what you have, definitely the money is not valuable,” he said.

Olaniyan explained that MoneyPoint’s participation in the health initiative was informed by its engagement with businesses across Osun State and the need to encourage entrepreneurs to adopt healthier lifestyles.

He disclosed that the organisation had partnered with the NUJ on the initiative for more than four years, adding that the collaboration was aimed at promoting physical fitness among professionals and business operators.

He urged entrepreneurs to incorporate regular exercise into their daily routines and make health monitoring an essential part of their personal and professional lives.

“Stay healthy, exercise more and live a healthy life. Doing that, your life will be prolonged, and business expansion will be more certain because you will have the good health to grow your business,” Olaniyi said.

He added that healthy entrepreneurs would be better positioned to sustain their businesses, create employment opportunities and contribute to national economic development.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the NUJ, Osun State Council, Comrade (Dr.) Adeyemi Aboderin, also urged journalists to pay greater attention to their health, warning that the demands of daily assignments and the responsibility of keeping the public informed often leave media practitioners with little time for personal well-being.

Aboderin observed that journalists frequently prioritised their professional responsibilities over their health despite the physical demands of moving from one assignment to another while working under tight deadlines.

“Journalists are too busy to take care of their health. We are too busy to go for medical check-ups. We are more focused on letting members of the public know what is going on,” he said.

The NUJ chairman urged members to sustain the exercise beyond the anniversary celebration, recommending 10 to 15 minutes of walking before work and regular physical activity at least twice a week.

He also reflected on the council’s 35-year journey, acknowledging the contributions of past leaders and members to the growth and sustainability of the union.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Health Walk Committee, Comrade Olawumi Olaniyi, said the initiative was designed to encourage journalists to monitor their health more consistently, particularly given the demanding nature of field assignments and newsroom responsibilities.

She advised members not to allow work to take precedence over their well-being, noting that good health was essential to their careers, family responsibilities and personal lives.

In his remarks, Pastor Segun Progress, who represented the APC candidate for Osogbo Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Kayode, said regular exercise was an important health practice that people could adopt regardless of their financial circumstances.

He also urged journalists to maintain fairness and balance in their reportage as Osun State approaches another election season, stressing the importance of giving political actors a level playing field through objective coverage.

The health walk was one of the activities lined up for the NUJ Osun State Council’s week-long 35th anniversary celebration.