Worried by the high incidence of death caused by chronic diseases the Redeemed Christian Church of GOD (RCCG) Province 4 recently introduced a monthly fitness programme for its members.

This involves monthly group walk by church members covering a couple of kilometres to enhance physical fitness.

Tagged Walk-For-Life, the exercise aims at boosting the physical and mental prowess of participants to ensure they are healthy for their work in the church.

Information officer of the church, Mrs Ngozi Oboh explained that the Pastor-in-charge of RCCG FCT Province 4, Dr. Dele Babade has introduced the programme in line with the instruction from the bible that there is profit in bodily exercise.

Babade was quoted as saying, "We observed that people are not conversant with certain health information.

"We will use this forum to educate and pass basic information to the members; we will be doing the aerobics, different kinds of medical tests will be carried out free of charge."

The pastor noted that by constant practice, members will get used to physical exercises and then practice such privately so they can live healthier lifestyles afterwards.

He stated, "It calls for concern that in this 'microwave generation', people spend their health to seek wealth and in the end they spend their wealth to regain their health and it is always very difficult and full of challenges at that stage.

"Also if you check the menu list of most families, you'll discover that our diet is mostly laden with carbohydrate and hardly do people have time to exercise and burn off excess fat acquired from the sedentary life they lead."

The provincial pastor explained that there are some cardiac conditions that cannot be well managed until physical exercises are done.

Pastor John Olayemi, Commandant of FCT Unit 3 of RCCG Chaplaincy Corps said this was initiated by the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who engages all ministers of the church on a similar Prayer Walk once or twice a year at the Redemption Camp in Ogun State.

For Pastor Shola Gbadebo, Zonal Pastor of RCCG Chapel of Life Zone, the headquarters of FCT Province 4, "a healthy minister is an asset to the body of Christ."

Gbadebo said that the programme is much more than a physical exercise: "It was a spiritual exercise since people were praying while walking. It was awesome."

Mrs Mary Nicholas from Triumphant Area Church in Lugbe, a pregnant woman who participated in the exercise said the pain she experienced at night disappeared after the exercise.

Mrs Zainab Abdulraheem, a grandmother who trekked long distance said, "I really enjoyed it. This will help those who do not have time to exercise at all."

The walk commenced from RCCG Chapel of Life Parish, in Church Village Area 1 up to Area 10 Post Office in Garki and terminated back to Area 1.