A 17-year-old Francis James, from Plateau State, won the second edition of the Mangrove Marathon Race 2023 beating the presidential candidate for African Action Congress in the 2023 General Elections, Mr Omowole Sowore.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that James won one million naira in the 10km eco-friendly race held on Saturday in Lekki, Lagos. He beat other contestants including the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Sowore.
James, who expressed happiness after winning the male division of the competition, claimed that it had taken him six months to train. He exhorted his competitors to put forth more effort next time.
NAN reports that a staff of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, David Abiye-Joyce, came first among the females in the competition. Abiye-Joyce expressed gratitude to God for making it possible for her to come tops. She said that she had been winning athletic competitions for the NSCDC.
Earlier in his Welcome address, the Lekki LCDA Chairman. Hon. Rasak Kasali, expressed gratitude to organisers and participants of the Mangrove Marathon Race for identifying with the LCDA. Kasali said that there was no denying the fact that mangroves were extremely important to the ecosystem.
According to him, mangroves serve as a buffer between marine and terrestrial communities and protect shorelines from damaging winds, waves, and floods.
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Kasali explained that mangrove tangles enhance water quality by filtering contaminants and capturing soil particles. Despite their numerous advantages, he claimed that they were being destroyed. Kasali added that mangroves are harmed by pollutants from the land. The chairman observed that mangrove benefits were rapidly disappearing.
“We as a government have continued to play our part.
“I call on captains of industries working within the Lekki LCDA to be environmentally responsive,” Kasali said.
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