Calisthenics: We’ve bequeathed worthy legacy in education, says Aregbesola

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said his administration had bequeathed a worthy legacy of sound learning and character to pupils across the state.

He attributed the achievements his administration recorded in the Education sector as a direct indication of its commitment to revamp, revive, transform and change the face of education across the state.

Aregbesola spoke at this year’s Osun State-wide school calisthenics competition grand finale organised by the Department of Social and Grassroots Mobilisation and Guidance in the Office of the Governor.

He said his administration had rebranded and placed Osun on the path of healthy, growing, economic development and prosperity, as reflected in the successes of his policies and programmes.

The governor, who said the state under his watch had not only popularised calisthenics as a critical extra-curriculum engagement, added that the exercise had come to stay with pupils in public schools as well as those in private schools.

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He said: “As a government, we are happy today to have introduced this beautiful exercise to Osun and bequeathed it as a worthy legacy of our administration.

“It was Chief Bola Ige who introduced callisthenics to Nigeria in the Second Republic. But regrettably, it died with the end of civilian rule in 1983.

“We, however, reintroduced callisthenics to Nigeria in 2011 when we engaged two Cubans, Francis Rodriguez and Raiza Guerra, who trained the first set.

“This set performed in 2012 during the ceremonies of Osun at 21st anniversary. Calisthenics was also on display during Oodua World Children’s Day the following year. By this time, our own people have been trained by the Cubans and have taken over the role of trainers.

“Then, again, we showcased the beauty of callisthenics during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the creation of Osun in 2016. Also, at the third anniversary of the second term of our administration last year, callisthenics featured, as it was beamed live from this stadium to the whole world.

“The children themselves were also treated to calisthenics display during this year’s Children’s Day at this same stadium.

“Callisthenics began with public schools around Osogbo; it has since been taken to all the nooks and crannies of the state and now extended to private schools, many of whom, I am told, have excelled in the sport.”