Dare to trek: the man who journeyed across Lagos on foot

[Standard Bank Team]

Charity may begin at home, but it certainly does not end there. Over a six day period from 3 to 8 December, one of our own, Yinka Shorungbe travelled 175 km across Lagos, on foot.

His walk took him from Seme, Nigeria’s border with the Republic of Benin through Badagry, Ojo, Mile 2, Orile, Lagos Island, Lekki, Epe and all the way to the boundary with Ogun State. It was done to raise N100 000 for the Red Cross Society’s Motherless Home in Makoko, Yaba – the orphanage Yinka first visited back in 2009.

In preparation, he had a tour of all the places beforehand, to familiarise himself with the routes and environment and to determine how many kilometres he would be able to cover per day. In took him about a month and a half to prepare and while on his journey, people could locate him on the Google map tracker, using the tracker installed on his phone.

By the end of day 1, he had covered over 35km. He walked past his alma mater, the Lagos State University on day 2.

When asked if walking across Lagos is safe, Yinka answered with his street-smart confidence “Yes, because you're so anonymous and random, nobody gives you a second glance.”

As he walked past the Stanbic IBTC head office on Day 3, he was surprised by colleagues who gathered to cheer him on.

Day 4 saw Yinka doing a stop-over at his house where he got some medical treatment and replenish supplies. He had company on the final day of his walk and succeeded in raising a total of N115 000.

This is what Yinka had to say about his journey:
“I have received mad love and support from everyone; colleagues, family, friends, acquaintances, tweeps– unbelievable! On my first day back at work after the charity walk, I received a standing ovation from my colleagues on our floor when I walked into the office. It was incredible, and if only they knew how their support inspired me.”

Yinka’s dedication and passion for giving back reflect our values as an organisation and we are proud that he is a member of our team.