By James Eze
The city of Enugu often bursts into a mosaic of chants, energetic stomps and sweat on Saturday morning as its residents rise to a new culture in health and wellness. It is not active-living as we all know it. No. Enugu offers something slightly more exhilarating as the city’s expansive spaces, manicured alleyways and tree-lined boulevards open their arms wide to lovers of good health and physical fitness of a different variety.
Bored by the routine encounter with exercise equipment and the dank, sweaty smell of gyms, Enugu residents have since embraced the freedom of the open air. They cherish the chilly natural breeze that swaddles you as you hit the smooth double lanes that encircle the magnificent Okpara Square, inhaling the clean fresh air that rushes into your nostrils in the rarefied serenity of Independence Layout and the surrounding areas.
Truth be told; Enugu’s bewitching landscape is the ultimate dream of any lover of outdoor activities. The undulating little hills and bewildering hillocks offer a magical resistance that makes short, power sprints up a slope irresistible. The hills and the slopes make it easy for rainwater to drain fast after each downpour, leaving the roads clean and beckoning. So, fitness lovers are not even discouraged by rainfall which leaves many cities in Southern Nigeria swollen. This is one of the reasons why Enugu is fast becoming a lifestyle city. Almost without meaning to.
The historic Okpara Square with its verdant green trees and wide open spaces is Enugu’s fitness mecca. This is where the residents of the city who in conformity with the digital age have adopted 042 as its preferred name gather in the largest imaginable number. Every day is busy in Okpara Square but Saturday is extraordinary. The largest number of joggers, walkers, bikers, skaters and many other varieties of fitness activities gather at Okpara Square on Saturday morning. The Square transforms into a fascinating mass of adrenaline at such times in a manner that evokes the fast dying tradition of gathering at the village square in pre-colonial Igbo. It is certain that most people who own private gyms in Enugu abandon them to share in the strong communal spirit that envelops Okpara Square on Saturday morning.
The benefits of being in Okpara Square are many. It has been proven that it is easier to draw strength from others and push beyond personal limits while exercising in a group. There are so many fitness groups that have evolved through the years with peculiar group differentiators like jerseys, musical units and other attributes that set them apart. A new comer can easily fit into one of these groups. There are many trained fitness coaches as well as those driven by sheer enthusiasm on hand to encourage a new comer to find his feet. There are different aerobic classes with trained coaches and fitness enthusiasts. There are different people at different stages of physical fitness and one can easily fit into the tapestry on display. Then, there is the increasingly popular Egwu Ogene; infectious, rhythmic and pacey, which serves as a shot-in-the-arm to waning enthusiasm. The atmosphere is electrifying on its own, though. So, the very air of Opkara Square heaves with verve.
Interestingly, beneath the intricate layers of high-octane vitality, sweat and grit that enshroud Okpara Square, a thin ring of commerce runs silently along the streets. A new comer can briskly shop for second hand jerseys and running shoes widely on display and dash into his car to change. There are sellers of freshly crushed fruit juice in plastic bottles and cups to gulp down as you unwind after exercise. Sellers of Enugu’s famous Okpa are never far away while a boisterous young man spotting a luxuriant beard retails fresh palm wine under a huge umbrella. All of them follow nah. The thick smell of Okporoko (stockfish) is however a sad reminder that very soon, the authorities may have to wade in to check what is being sold in Okpara Square before Ogili sellers move in too. LOL.
Enugu’s evolving active lifestyle goes beyond the assorted offerings of Okpara Square though. Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Ogui Road offers a different sanctuary to fitness lovers. The tartan tracks of the stadium make running seem like a walk in the park. That is probably why many well-heeled folks throng there in the early morning on weekdays. The more energetic folks find the steps that run up the gallery a perfect facility for cardiovascular exercise. The stadium is also where karate and Kun Fu lovers gather to practice their art.
Of all the fitness centres in Enugu, Lilburn Health and Fitness Centre at Thinkers Corner is probably the most advanced. Lilburn which looks like something lifted out of Upstate New York has the latest, most effective equipment under one roof with a dietician and a beauty salon all to the bargain. It is a worthy addition to the growing offerings of the city and a landmark for fitness lovers.
But Okpara Square remains a personal favourite. Not only does it pulsate with energy but it is also named after Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara; a historic figure. The overall vibrancy of the Square is a fitting tribute to the memory of Dr Okpara, who as the Premier of the old Eastern Region left vibrant, indelible footprints on the landscape.
And as I stood before his giant statue in the square one cold January morning, I felt the chilly hand of the harmattan on my shoulders. It reminded me of the seasons and the ebb and flow of life. But it also reminded me that my generation has yet to leave something of value for tomorrow. Something like my beloved Okpara Sqaure!
.First published in sunRISE Magazine, February 2018