CIoD tasks corporate leaders on regular exercise, health checks

The Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria has urged corporate leaders to prioritise regular exercise and medical checks.

The Institute warned that neglecting personal health could affect their judgement, productivity and ability to manage organisations effectively.

The National President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Otunba Adetunji Oyebanji, advised the 2026 Walk for Life organised by the Institute’s Abuja Zone in Abuja on Saturday.

Oyebanji said the annual exercise was designed to promote physical fitness among directors and senior executives, whose responsibilities often involved demanding schedules and critical decisions.

He said the Institute believed that maintaining a healthy body was essential to effective leadership, adding that directors needed to look beyond their professional obligations and pay attention to their well-being.

“We believe very strongly in the concept of a strong mind in a strong body. If the body is not in good shape, then the mind, especially the mind of directors that we are concerned about, will not be able to perform their role,” he said.

Beyond promoting wellness, Oyebanji said CIoD was committed to improving the capacity of directors through training programmes and seminars designed to strengthen corporate management in both the public and private sectors.

He explained that better leadership and organisational performance would contribute to economic growth.

On corporate governance, he identified advocacy as another major area of the Institute’s work, noting that it regularly engaged government and private sector stakeholders to promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct.

“It’s a journey. It’s not a destination you get to. So we have to continue putting as much effort as we can, including the training and advocacy that we do, so that gradually we can change the fortunes of Nigeria,” he said.

The CIoD president added that the walk was also intended to encourage members of the public to embrace physical activity, irrespective of their professional affiliations.

He expressed concern over cases of sudden deaths and urged Nigerians to make exercise part of their daily routines.

The Abuja Zonal Chairperson, Mrs Rose Eshiett, said physical fitness was particularly important for people in decision-making positions, as their responsibilities required mental clarity.

She noted that directors could not afford to concentrate solely on boardroom activities while neglecting their physical wellbeing.

“You cannot decide without clarity in your brain. So you need to work the body. It is not just about thinking; it is about the entire body. If you are not fit, you cannot take a decision,” she said.

Eshiett also called for greater recognition of women in leadership, attributing their growing presence in top positions to qualities such as empathy, integrity and a strong sense of responsibility.

She cited the banking industry as an example, noting that women occupied leadership positions in several major financial institutions.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of CIoD Nigeria, Dr Taiwo Nolas-Alausa, said the annual walk was part of the Institute’s efforts to promote work-life balance, particularly among executives whose jobs often involved prolonged periods of sitting.

He urged directors to monitor their health and establish regular exercise routines rather than depend on the annual event to stay physically active.

“My advice to directors out there is to take care of your health, really. It’s not just about waking, sleeping and eating, but you have to be able to ensure that what the status of your health is,” he said.

Nolas-Alausa disclosed that the Institute also organised physical activities through different groups on a weekly and monthly basis, while the annual walk served as its flagship wellness campaign.

The 2026 event, themed “Advancing Executive Wellness, Building Connections, and Inspiring Healthier Leadership,” brought together directors, senior executives, professionals and other participants.

It also provided an opportunity for members to strengthen professional relationships and interact outside formal business engagements.

CIoD Nigeria promotes good corporate governance, ethical leadership and best practices in directorship, while supporting business leaders in their responsibility to build sustainable organisations.