Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday renewed calls for Nigerians to embrace regular medical screening, stressing that early detection remains critical in the fight against cancer, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.
Obasanjo made the appeal in Abeokuta during the flag-off of the “Lagos to the World Expedition”, a health-awareness initiative focused on prostate cancer, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.
The expedition, driven by Nigerian entrepreneur and BMW enthusiast, Erik Nwagwu, is dedicated to the memory of his late mother and sister, both of whom died from cancer. It also seeks to promote awareness, testing and early diagnosis, particularly among men in sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking at the event, Obasanjo underscored the importance of lifestyle discipline and preventive healthcare, revealing his personal experience managing diabetes for over four decades.
“I was diagnosed with diabetes more than 40 years ago, and I still manage it,” he said, adding that regular exercise, controlled diet and adequate rest had helped him maintain his health.
He explained that he engages in squash three times weekly and pays close attention to his diet and rest, stressing that lifestyle choices play a major role in disease management.
According to him, “Diet, rest and exercise are very, very important… and then medical checks must not be neglected.”
The former president, who described himself as a “senior citizen” rather than an elderly person, urged Nigerians aged 60 and above to prioritise periodic medical examinations, warning that many life-threatening conditions often present no early symptoms.
He also lamented that the cost of medical tests discourages many Nigerians from undergoing routine check-ups, thereby increasing late diagnosis and preventable deaths.
Highlighting the urgency of awareness campaigns, Obasanjo said early detection often makes cancer highly treatable, noting that some patients only discover the disease during routine tests despite having no symptoms.
The initiator of the expedition, Nwagwu, said the campaign is being conducted in partnership with Zuri Health, offering free screenings for prostate cancer, blood sugar level, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).
He disclosed that the first phase of the expedition has already taken place in Lagos, with subsequent screening exercises planned for Accra on June 6, Senegal, and other regions across Africa and beyond as part of a global circumnavigation journey.
“Many people don’t go for tests. But once prostate cancer is detected early, it is very treatable,” he said, noting that the initiative is designed to encourage routine health checks and reduce avoidable deaths.
Nwagwu added that the long-distance expedition would also serve as a mobile advocacy platform, using travel and public engagements to drive awareness on prostate cancer, which he described as one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men, particularly Black men.
The event drew attention to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria and reinforced renewed calls for preventive healthcare, early diagnosis and lifestyle modification as key tools in reducing mortality rates.
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