Tony Elumelu: Taking fitness seriously before 30 one of my best decisions

Tony Elumelu, chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, says taking his fitness seriously before he turned 30 “has been one of my best decisions in life”.

Sharing his recipe for healthy success on his website, the 60-year-old entrepreneur urged people to invest in their well-being as they would in business.

Elumelu, who accompanied the note with a reel of pictures of himself doing Yoga, and taking walks, warned that “if you cannot commit yourself to regular exercise, you will never reach your full potential”.

“I often talk about business – my philosophy, my successes and yes, my setbacks. Today, let’s talk about something that is as much a foundation for my success as that philosophy,” he wrote.

“We are all born with talent – but a personal choice, dedication and our mindset often decide if and how we embrace that talent. The same is true about our health and fitness.

“Those who know me know I live the old expression “healthy mind, healthy body”. I often say if you cannot commit yourself to regular exercise, you will never reach your full potential.

“I can’t remember when I began to take my health and fitness very seriously, but I saw increased energy. I started taking my health and fitness seriously before I hit 30, and it has been one of my best decisions in life. I am 60 now – do I feel it? No! I owe that to taking a long-term decision 30 years ago. Like business, invest in your health for the long term – make those incremental changes and show that determination, resilience and discipline.”

Elumelu is a billionaire businessman, economist, and philanthropist. He chairs Heirs Holdings, and Transcorp, and is the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

He was named on Time‘s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020.

The entrepreneur got married to Awele Vivien, a medical doctor, in 1993. They have seven children together.