[size=14pt]Beyond the morning exercise at Okpara Square, Enugu • Ladies also display themselves [/size]
From PETRUS OBI, Enugu

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Okpara Square, Enugu is the official venue for government functions as well as social and cultural activities. Occupying a very large expanse of land close to the Enugu Government House the square which was named after former Premier of Eastern Region Dr. Michael Okpara has been given added responsibility over the years. A visitor to Enugu would definitely be loss as to what might be happening at this square between 6:am and 9:am everyday.





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If not for the timing, the number of cars lined up in and around the square will definitely tempt one into believing that it must be Independence Day. However, a close look will provide the correct answers as men and women of different sizes, shapes, age and heights would be seen trying to put in some hours of exercises. For years Okpara Square has come to be identified with morning exercise to the level that participants started forming groups amongst themselves.

Mr. Chinedu Arinze, Chairman Coal City Keep Fit Club, one of such groups at the square, said; “we have so many other groups; I know about the exclusive club, and there are one or two other groups existing here in Okpara Square, but its free for all. You come here and exercise; we all know the essence of exercise, to keep body and soul together. It also helps us to forget our sorrows; you know there are difficulties in the country today, so it also acts as a recreation for us. So the exercise is on a daily basis from 6:am to 9:am everyday.” There has however been a school of taught within the city that believes that beyond the morning exercise, there is more than meets the ordinary eye.

This school believes that the training ground has provided opportunity for University girls who abound in the town, to show off themselves and in return attract the attention of some of the men who may have genuinely come to keep fit. This school further postulates that male visitors to Enugu also avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the square to fish for female company. Chairman of Coal City Keep Fit Club, Mr. Arinze believes that such things cannot be ruled out in such a place. “You cannot rule out such things in an environment like this.

This is like a school environment where male and female come to exercise just like they go to study in a school environment so you cannot rule out such things in this place. But there are lots of married women here who I know and I can vouch for that they don’t have such things in mind; but there are also the single girls, and I cannot vouch for them; such things can happen. We are all human beings and we know you cannot rule out a thing like that in a place like this; so it happens; if anybody tells you, he or she has never noticed such a thing here, the person is not telling you the truth. Mr. Dan Nwomeh, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sullivan Chime has been training at the square for about two years now.

And he told our reporter that the square has “become a major centre for people to come and walk out, exercise and be fit.” On the other activities that people could be going on at the square he said; “the girls can speak for themselves but I can tell you that even in the church there are people who come there to parade, to show off their new dresses, so you know the reason you are here; people have their reasons for coming here. It is a normal thing in human affairs; so it’s nothing special and cannot be ruled out in a place like this; “even though I can’t speak for them. But you have to know that a lot of responsible people, government officials, men of God, Bank Managers, University Professors and of course people from all walks of life come here.”

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