by The Ajasa News | September 29, 2021 3:15 pm
Residents in Abuja came out in their large number to join former Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kano in the ‘Abuja Walk with Kanu Nwankwo (Papilo) To Make The Heart Beat’.
And having started one hour behind schedule, Mohammed Mustapha, the convener and Chairman of the local organising committee, LOC of the event to news men that his inability to get the desired approval for security was the reason the event could not flag off as scheduled.
“It was very late in the night before he could get the security approval. It was not in our habit to delay our events. My joy is that we eventually got the security approval, no matter how late it came”, Mohammed Mustapha said.
Expectedly, the former Super Eagles’ legend, Kanu Nwankwo was among the Over 2,000 residents in Abuja Walk With Kanu Nwankwo in FCT
Former Super Eagles and Arsenal’s legend, Kanu Nwankwo who flew into the country Tuesday to be part of the event, as part of the activity to mark 2021 World Heart Day, said exercise is good for the body.
“It’s a walk not only for Kanu. It’s a walk for ourselves, the more you walk the better for our hearts. Today is a World Heart Day. We are creating the awareness. Walk or jog or run; depending how anyone wants to exercise the body.
“The aim of the walk with Kanu is to improve awareness and intervention on the need to protect and care for our hearts”, said Kanu Nwankwo.
Mohammed Mustapha, the convener and Chairman of the local organising committee, LOC of the event said “Walk with Kanu Nwankwo (Papilo) To Make The Heart Beat” would has been an annual event.
He said early preparation for the subsequent editions would save the delay encountered in getting the approval for what are required to ensure successful staging of the event.
The 7.2km distance commenced from the Office of the Inspector General of Police, through routes cutting across the Federal Secretariat, High Court/Abia House, Intel Junction, AP Plaza, CAC, INEC Office and Transcorp Hilton as an endpoint.
Remarkably, Kanu was diagnosed with heart issue just after signing up for an Italian club, Inter Milan in 1996; a development many thought would decimate his football career. The eventual surgery to correct the heart defect was successful, and Kanu made a full recovery and went on to win one laurel too many with top European clubs including Arsenal FC of England. He thereafter set up the Kanu Heart Foundation; a non-governmental organisation to help out indigent Nigeria children with cardiac related diseases to obtain life-saving surgeries within and outside the country.
The achievement of Kanu Heart Foundation KHF that was created 21 years ago include the over 565 persons that had benefited from Kanu Heart Foundation across the country and over 245 are on the waiting list to benefit from the Kanu Heart Foundation, KHF.
KHF remains one of the Non-governmental organisations in Nigeria established to help indigent children and adults suffering from cardiac-related diseases.
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