By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, Thursday, ended it 2023 Indoor games with a call on media practitioners to maintain continuous exercise for healthy living.
The event held at Godwin Ezeemo International Press Centre, Awka, was attended by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by his Special Adviser on Youth Development, Dr Nelson Omenugha.
Declaring the programme open, the State Council Chairman of NUJ, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, explained that physical exercise was good for health and human development.
Odogwu, represented by the State Council Treasurer, Comrade Ogemdi Ozoemenam, urged members to create time for both open and indoor games to increase productivity and creativity in the manner of their reportage.
Also speaking, the Chairperson, NUJ Anambra State 2023 indoor games committee, Mrs Ify Obi, said the programme was planned to enable the Fourth Estate of the realm to unwine and remain active while carrying out their professional functions.
Obi, who is also the General Manager Unizik FM, while listing the games mapped out for the programme to include ludo, push up, whot, scrabble, swell, draft, and others, urged members to take the exercise seriously so as to benefit from it immensely.
On his part, the Director Sports, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Mazi Ogbonna Chibueze, noted that exercise wether indoor or outdoor is very beneficial to the people, especially the participants.
According to him, exercise is a sound fun planned to build up mental balance for people and journalists should take it serous.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Nelson Omenugha, commended the council for the initiatives, which he described as a great innovation.
Omenuagha, while noting that governor Soludo was solidly behind the NUJ and would continue to support them with a view to make Anambra State liveable and prosperous.
"We will create games unit to partner with the council to ensure sustenance of the great innovation by the council," he noted.
Factcheckng.com learnt that the following emerged successfully in the games; Uchenna Ezeadigwe, overall best; Eloka Igboegwu, 2nd position; and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 3rd position. Others were draft games with Benny Egbunonu as overall best; second position, Dr Stanley Onunkwo; Ncho games has Dr Chinwe Nwoyeocha as overall best; Mrs Joy Mbachi, came second; while Dr Njideka Ezeonyejiaku came third.
Also, for games, Sir Abuchi Onwumelu was overall best, Comrade Okechukwu Onubegu, 2nd; Mrs Chika Nnabuife, 1st position; 2nd position, Chika Okeke while Uche Nworah came 3rd; and Ludo games had Mrs Angel Okoroafor as overall best and Chigozie Chukwuleta, 2nd position; Comrade Ịfy Obi was overall best in Whot; Ogemdi Ozoemena, 2nd position; and Dr Chinwe Amatu, 3rd position. The winners received different awards and prices.
Speaking on behalf of other participants, Mr Benny Egbunonu, a public Relations Officer of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, described the event as worthwhile venture, and appealed to journalists to always make it to their events as the event witnessed low turn out of journalists who left their own events to cover other people program.