The Nigerian Stock Exchange brought together over 650 runners from over 60 companies for the 6th edition of its corporate challenge, tagged ‘e-Race Cancer’.
The NSE Corporate Challenge, which was instituted in 2014, is a one-day event designed to create awareness on the early detection of cancer and raise funds to support the fight against the dreadful disease in Nigeria.
The NSE said in a statement that the 2019 corporate challenge, which featured aerobics dance, games, music, entertainment and free cancer screening, saw Austin Ani of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc emerge the overall winner with a completion time of 19.05 minutes, the same feat he achieved in the 2018 edition.
It added that Paul Alabi of Aluko and Oyebode, who was the first runner up in 2018, and Aliyu Lukman of Fidelity Bank Plc occupied the second and third positions, finishing the race in 19.27 minutes and 19.50 minutes, respectively.
It said, “Adaobi Anikwe of the Nigerian Stock Exchange emerged the fastest female runner, with a completion time of 24.58 minutes while Rene Gabriel of Nigerian Breweries Plc emerged the winner of the senior citizen category for runners aged 50 and above, with a race time of 22.30 minutes, same feat he achieved in the 2016 edition.”
The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, said, “Cancer-related deaths in Nigeria are set to rise if urgent actions are not taken to raise awareness about early detection of the disease and to develop practical strategies to address the increasing burden.
“Such is the idea that inspired the NSE Corporate Challenge in 2014. In its 6th year, the NSE Corporate Challenge has adopted exercise as a vehicle to drive its cancer awareness initiative and further stress the need for regular exercise and overall healthy living as ways to reduce the risk of cancer.
“It is heart-warming to see hundreds of people here today who believe in our journey to a cancer-free society and who do not care about the weather in fighting cancer. A lot of people could have rolled over this morning and gone back to bed with the pouring rain, but we all came out because of our passion to eradicate cancer in Nigeria. Hours in the rain are nothing compared to people going through chemotherapy.”
Onyema said he believed that the message about cancer would create a ripple effect to provoke joint actions towards erasing cancer in Nigeria and have a far-reaching positive impact on the populace, especially the less-privileged.
