Ebonyi lawmaker promotes Abakaliki Rice In 2025 Keepfit Club Annual Tour

A member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly representing Abakaliki North Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Victor Chidi-Nwoke, has urged members of the Coal City Keepfit Sports Club, Enugu, to adopt Abakaliki rice as their staple food.

He said this would promote healthy living, physical fitness, and local content consumption, while also supporting Ebonyi farmers. Hon. Nwoke made the call during the 2025 annual fitness event at the Pa. Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, where the Keepfit Sports Club Abakaliki hosted their Enugu State counterparts.

The lawmaker described Abakaliki rice as one of the healthiest food options in Nigeria due to its organic cultivation and high nutritional value. He stressed that beyond health benefits, patronizing the product would boost the economy and enhance food sufficiency across the Southeast.

“On behalf of my governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, my principal, the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Moses Ije-Odunwa, and my constituents, I warmly welcome the Coal City Keepfit Club to Abakaliki,” he said. “I commend Keepfit Sports Club Abakaliki for sustaining this yearly hosting of our brothers from Enugu. To step down this August visit, I encourage you to tour the Abakaliki Rice Mill, see where our rice is processed, and help us promote local content in Igboland and Nigeria at large.”

Hon. Nwoke further noted that the Nwifuru-led administration has invested massively in agriculture, particularly in rice production, to empower rural farmers and guarantee food security. The Chairman of the Coal City Keepfit Club, Enugu, Chief Frank Anioma-Ifesinachi, thanked God for the successful 2025 gathering and commended the Ebonyi government and Hon. Nwoke for their support. Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of Abakaliki Keepfit Sports Club, Chief Ekene Onwosi, who represented the state chairman, said the event was designed to foster unity and fitness among members.

In separate interviews, Her Majesty Nwaigwe Tecular of the Coal City Keepfit Club and Dr. Nwaigwe Jideofor of the Abakaliki chapter, described the exercise as necessary for building teamwork, social bonds, and a healthy lifestyle. “Being a Keepfit member goes beyond exercise; it helps one maintain a healthy mind, body, and also build social and business networks,” they said. “Many negative stories are told about Abakaliki, but visiting through Keepfit has shown us a different reality from what we hear.”

The event also featured a fitness breakfast, sponsored by Hon. Nwoke.