Following the declaration of 3rd June every year as World Bicycle Day by the United Nations on the 12th April, 2018 during its 72nd General Assembly plenary, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in collaboration with Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) and other advocates of cycling in the country have chosen to mark the 2018 World Bicycle Day on the 4th and 5th of June with the theme, “Cycling for Fitness”.
The activities lined up for the first day, 4th of June, 2018 include, a Press conference by the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi at 0830hrs, followed by the flag off of the 2018 World Bicycle Day at the FRSC Headquarters, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Cycling exercise will be conducted from the FRSC headquarters, to Federal Secretariat Abuja where the Corps Marshal and the Participants in the exercise will meet with the Honourable Minister of Health and proceed to Federal capital Territory Administration Area 11 to meet with the FCT Minister and then proceed to NTA headquarters area 11 where the riders are expected to meet with the Director General.
On the second day of the event, the cycling exercise takes off from the FRSC headquarters to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Power Works and Housing where the Corps Marshal and the riders are expected to meet the Honourable Ministers of the two ministries before proceeding to the Federal Ministry of Transport to also meet the Honourable Minister. More so, a delegation of riders will also visit Government Secondary School Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4 and Government Secondary School Garki, respectively. The World Bicycle Day commemoration for 2018 terminates at the national headquarters of the Commission.
According to the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, this resolution reached at the UN General Assembly was targeted at encouraging stakeholders to emphasize and advance the use of Bicycle as a means of fostering sustainable development which is in tandem with other UN Declarations such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the World Urban Agenda.
Kazeem noted that the resolution specifically states thus; “acknowledging the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation, fostering environmental stewardship and health.”
It will be recalled that as part of campaigns and advocacies on the environmental, economic, social, health and other benefits of Cycling, the Federal Road Safety Corps has since 2011 collaborated with other stakeholders like the Cycling Federation of Nigeria to advocate and promote the cycling culture in the country its role in the reduction of emission of carbon mono oxide and other health threatening objects.
In his statement, Kazeem quoted the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi while emphasizing on the numerous benefits of cycling as saying;
“The benefits of cycling are almost as endless as the country lanes you could soon be exploring. If you are considering taking up cycling, and weighing it up against other potential activities, then we are here to tell you that cycling is hands down the best option.”
Admittedly, there are an awful lot of good reasons to choose bike riding as newest pass time. Here are just some few…riding bikes boosts your brainpower, health, happiness and relationship. There are many advantages of cycling including improving your mental health and your immune system, weather its to boost your fitness, health or bank balance, or as as an environmental choice, taking up bicycle riding could be one of the best decisions you ever make.
Oyeyemi therefore encouraged the public to take up cycling because it helps to burn calories, reduces air pollution and eases the burden of traffic congestion.
