Saturday, 22nd of March, 2025 will remain a memorable day to many residents and athletes in Asaba Capital Territory. It was a day some athletes, youths, adults and their coach successfully embarked on a Walkathon from Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba as early as 7am through Nnebisi Road, Okpanam Road, Okpanam City Gate and Asaba International Airport, Oko Market along Benin Asaba Expressway and culminated at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba at 1:40pm
The Founder, Fostering Hopes Foundation, Nkechi Ukome, explained that the Walkathon was embarked upon in order to create awareness and sensitization on child separation and child protection to Deltans and Nigerians at large. It was also a demonstration of the hardships, stress and turmoil that the average Nigerian has to face to make ends meet.
Ukome said that she and the athletes had been training for over two months at Stephen Keshi Stadium but they deemed it necessary to do a test Walkathon within Asaba Capital Territory prior to the forthcoming major Walkathon on the 5th of April, 2025 from Agbor to Asaba.
Yesterday’s Walkathon in Asaba Capital Territory gave the residents an opportunity to know the importance of walking instead of boarding cars, tricycles popularly called Keke and motorcycles all the time.
A Road Safety Officer who was interviewed during the Walkathon confirmed that he had never seen any group that had embarked on such Walkathon since he joined the services of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) many years ago and wished the Founder and all the athletes the best.
There was no casualty during the Walkathon because of the good measures taken by the organizers. The founder believes that she and all the athletes embarked on a Walkathon of 35km in Asaba Capital Territory because they were fit and capable, and should be able to walk from Agbor to Asaba which is a distance of 61km for an estimated time of between 10 and 11hrs.
Fostering Hopes Foundation is almost set with the planning for the major Walkathon and Ukome believes that it will not be an easy walk but doable for her and members of her team on the 5th of April, 2025.
The Management of Mother and Child Specialist Hospital, Owa has already agreed to support Fostering Hopes Foundation by providing an ambulance and a medical team while some members of the Red Cross Society will also support the athletes. Adequate arrangements have also been made with security personnel while men of the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC, will be on duty to control the traffic during the Walkathon.
Ukome has been encouraging sport lovers living in Asaba environs to join them on their way from Agbor to Asaba on the 5th of April, 2025 as it promises to end with lots of activities such as concerts and various forms of entertainment that will create awareness on child separation and child protection.
