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Nigerian Rotarian and adventurer Olatunji Emmanuel Okedeyi has appealed for donations to support his #EmmaRidesForZeroPolio campaign.
Okedeyi began the journey in May to raise awareness and funds for polio vaccines and support for people living with the disease. The ride commenced in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to News Central from Madrid, Spain, on Sunday, he said the journey has exposed him to different cultures and strengthened his resolve, despite being far from his fundraising target.
“The journey has been fantastic. I met a lot of people. I have enjoyed the food and culture. I have met a lot of Nigerians as well, especially when I was in Paris. It has been fantastic,” he said.
He noted that although he has covered significant distance, he is still far from his target and is appealing for more public support.
“I am currently in Madrid, Spain. I am far away from the target. I have covered over 1,000km, going to 2,000 kilometres. I am appealing to viewers to start making donations. I am also grateful to the people who make their donations. We also have a GoFundMe. We will also share the naira account and other domiciliary accounts,” he said.
Okedeyi also recounted an encounter in Paris on June 12, where a couple expressed surprise that polio still exists globally despite advances in disease control.
“On June 12, when I crossed to Paris, I met a lovely couple and they wondered why polio still exists. We dealt with coronavirus within a couple of years, but we still have polio and are battling it for decades,” he said.
He added that the encounter reinforced the importance of his advocacy, noting that awareness is as important as fundraising, and stressed that his measure of success goes beyond financial contributions.
“Success is not measured in monetary value. The people I have spoken to and told about its existence will be my metrics for success,” he said.
He added that polio eradication remains a global responsibility, warning that “until polio is eradicated worldwide, none of us is safe.”
Okedeyi is currently undertaking a 12,200-kilometre cycling expedition across Europe and parts of West Africa to raise awareness and funds for polio vaccines and support for people living with the disease.
The route will take him through France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, before concluding in Lagos on July 7, 2026.
