Oakleaf joins Lagos Games to promote health and fitness

The 2026 Lagos State Public Service Club Games wrapped up after two weeks of sports events around Lagos. Organisers and healthcare partner Oakleaf Pharmaceuticals talked about how physical activity and preventive healthcare can improve the health of public servants and residents.

This annual event brought together members of the Lagos State Public Service Club from different areas. This included club branches in Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry. They competed in 14 sports events, which ranged from lawn tennis and table tennis to scrabble, squash, dominoes, and other indoor games.

This year was special because it was the first time Oakleaf Pharmaceuticals partnered with the club. Both organisations see this as a shared goal to promote healthy living and active lifestyles.

After the games, Oluseyi Adelaja, Head of Marketing at Oakleaf Pharmaceuticals, said the partnership matched the company’s focus on preventive healthcare. "For the past one and a half weeks, or about two weeks actually, we’ve partnered with the Lagos State Public Service Club to propagate healthy living, to propagate exercises amongst the citizens and people that live in Lagos, essentially," Mr. Adelaja said.

He noted that both groups have the same goals focused on wellness and improving life quality. "So it’s all about shared ideas, shared objectives for the Lagos State Public Service Club and Oakleaf Pharmaceuticals," he added.

Mr. Adelaja explained that the company believes in preventive healthcare. He said regular physical activity is one of the best ways to lower the risk of chronic illnesses. "We believe in preventive health. We also preach improved exercises, increase in activity, and a reduction in any form of sedentary lifestyle that has been implicated in a lot of chronic ailments like hypertension, diabetes and other chronic ailments that are prevalent in our society," he said.

The World Health Organisation recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week for adults. This can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases that are major health issues worldwide.

Mr. Adelaja encouraged workers, especially those who sit in offices for long periods, to add simple physical activities to their daily routines. "For a lot of us, particularly in our line of work, we tend to sit behind the desk almost all through the day. A situation where you can set timely reminders every two hours, stand up and walk around your office, it doesn’t have to be anything strenuous," he said.

He also pushed for healthier eating habits, suggesting that people reduce fried foods and eat more fruits and vegetables. The Sports Secretary of the Lagos State Public Service Club, Town Planner Adewale Adebayo, called the partnership a big addition to the yearly competition.

"We’ve been having sporting competitions every year. It’s just that this year, Oakleaf Pharmaceutical has decided to partner with us," he said. According to him, this partnership made the games better and improved the experience for participants.

"Oakleaf added glamour to our event because even with their stand and members who are playing, having to go get samples of vitamins while playing and all, I mean it’s a perfect blend," Mr. Adebayo said.

The club started to encourage social interaction, health, and welfare among public servants. They also allow members of the public to join as associate members. Mr. Adebayo said the yearly sports festival is key to the club’s founding goals.

"As a matter of fact, this club was set up to make sure that members of the civil service interact and also for their health and welfare. So basically, this is fulfilling one of the pillars of this club," he said.

Winners in the different sports events received medals and gifts at the end of the competition. Organisers are hopeful that this year’s success will bring more participation and better partnerships in future games.

For Oakleaf Pharmaceuticals, this partnership is part of their wider efforts to support initiatives that encourage healthier lifestyles. They aim to reduce the rising burden of lifestyle-related diseases among Nigerians.