On Saturday, June 1st, 2019, the inaugural edition of the Meristem Green Fest held at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island. The organic and healthy-living festival was truly the ultimate haven for health, fitness and wellness enthusiasts.
Themed “Unjunk”, the aim of the event was to actively encourage the gradual disposal of artificial and unhealthy living habits and facilitate the adoption of healthier lifestyle alternatives.
Founded by leading investment and capital market conglomerate, Meristem, the festival was created to propel the singular truth that health is wealth, and individuals must be committed to sustaining their health to enjoy true wealth.
The Meristem Green Fest took on a holistic approach in projecting this message through an array of activities including engaging fitness sessions, masterclasses, outdoor games, thrilling musical performances, and much more that spanned throughout the day.
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Kicking off the event was a soothing yoga class led by instructor, Sandra Patrick. The early morning session was the perfect fix for guests; helping them stretch and relax in anticipating of the activity-packed day.
This was followed by a heart-pumping and energetic aerobics class anchored by fitness instructor and founder of Fit Nigeria, Obinna Udora. Dance instructor, Bunmi Olunloyo, was also in attendance to round up the morning activities with an impromptu dance class that got the crowd on their feet and buzzing!
At mid-day, guests were seated and prepared for the masterclasses scheduled for the day. The masterclasses were led by nine amazing industry experts who shared insights on the following topics: ‘Juicing – Passion to Profit’ led by Goke Balogun, co-founder of So Fresh & Shola Ladoja, founder of Simply Greens; ‘Journey to fewer pounds’ led by Bunmi George, weight management coach.
Lifestyle Modification and Healthier patterns led by Dr Patrick Ijewere & Dr Chinasa Amadi, nutritionist and health coach; Financial Literacy for Business Growth led by Senami Johnson, Head of Meristem Capital; ‘The Pretty side of Charcoal led by Omolewa Adenaike, CEO of activated charcoal company, Koalture Organics; and ‘A Trip to Unfiltered Glow’ led by Nancy Ndukwe – Ositelu, founder of skincare company, Chaurme Beauty.
Foodies in attendance enjoyed a live cooking class anchored by the culinary chef, Soliat Bada, on the ‘Art of Healthy Cooking’. The enlightening session showcased a detailed recipe on cooking ‘Jollof Quinoa’, a healthier and lower-calorie alternative to staple Nigerian dish, ‘Jollof Rice’.
Adding to the aroma of delicious food were the healthy and organic meals and snacks provided by the array of food vendors at the event. Guests were also able to purchase carefully curated natural and organic beauty, skin and hair care products throughout the day.
The atmosphere became infectiously energetic towards the evening as guests were treated to a live band performance from the enigmatic, Segun Johnson, who thrilled them with a medley of old and new school music.
DJ Crowd Kontroller was also in attendance to give an electrifying set, and fan-favourite, Johnny Drille, serenaded the crowd with a phenomenal performance of his hit songs ‘Halleluyah’ and ‘Wait for me’.
Speaking on the future of the fest, GMD, Meristem, Wole Abegunde said “The Meristem Green Fest is definitely here to stay, we have successfully brought people from all walks of life to experience our brand up-close and personal and we have consequently, heralded the biggest organic and healthy living festival in Nigeria.
“We will continue to redefine the content and core-essence of the fest to help our clients to stay healthy so they can grow and enjoy their wealth. In the same vein, we will bolster the community of business owners by creating a range of financial solutions to help them ultimately expand their business.”
The Meristem Green Fest was indeed the first of its kind in Nigeria; a true community of like-minded individuals who are mentally and physically ready to embrace new, wholesome and healthier choices in all aspects of their lives. Scroll down to join in on the excitement from the event.