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Nigerian Rotarian and adventurer Olatunji Emmanuel Okedeyi, who will begin his journey from the United Kingdom to Lagos in June as part of the #EmmaRidesForZeroPolio campaign to advocate for polio eradication, has said the initiative was inspired by his parents.
Okedeyi, in an interview with News Central, said he grew up in a hospital environment. He added that his father worked as an ambulance driver and was actively involved in polio campaigns in rural communities.
“The inspiration comes from my parents. I grew up in a hospital environment,” Okedeyi said.
“My parents worked in the hospital, and I grew up seeing them in ambulances. My dad was an ambulance driver, and most of the time he went through rural villages to campaign for immunisation. I have seen the havoc that polio has caused among children.”
The initiative will see Okedeyi ride more than 12,000 kilometres across 13 countries, travelling from the United Kingdom through Europe and West Africa before arriving in Lagos in July 2026.
Through the campaign, he hopes to raise awareness and funds for life-saving vaccines, while emphasising the importance of child health and international cooperation.
According to organisers, the campaign operates a £10-per-kilometre fundraising model, encouraging supporters around the world to contribute directly to the initiative and the fight against polio.
The journey is scheduled to commence on June 12, 2026, in London, United Kingdom, before passing through France and Spain, and then into Africa via Morocco.
The route will continue through Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin before ending in Lagos, Nigeria, on July 7, 2026.
Okedeyi hopes to raise £100,000 for global polio eradication efforts and to support Nigeria’s polio-free status. For every kilometre he rides, £10 will be donated, with all proceeds going toward polio vaccines and related support initiatives. A formal handover of the funds raised is scheduled for August 1, 2026.
