By Fatima Saka
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Outsiders Hash House Harriers (HHH) has championed fitness, fellowship, networking and community service through its running activities, describing the club as a platform where people from diverse professional and social backgrounds connect, build relationships and contribute to society.
Speaking on Monday during the club’s second run, known as Outsiders Hash House Harriers Run 002, a former Grand Master of Lagos Hash House Harriers, Epabo Fred said the essence of the Hash was to build a strong community through running, socialising and networking.
Fred said members of the Hash came from different professional and social backgrounds, adding that the organisation had created an avenue for people to exercise, build friendships, develop business networks and have fun.
“Basically, we are a drinking club with a running problem, or we are a running club with a drinking problem. However you want to put it, it’s fine,” he said.
He explained that beyond the social activities associated with the Hash, its most important feature was the community it had created among members.
According to him, there are more than 100 Hash kennels in Nigeria and over 2,000 around the world, with people joining for different reasons, including fitness, networking, business opportunities, friendship and social interaction.
Fred noted that the Hash House Harriers had existed in Nigeria for several decades, with some of the country’s oldest kennels approaching 50 years.
The Hash House Harriers, commonly called “the Hash,” originated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1938. It was based on the traditional “Hare and Hounds” game, in which a designated runner, known as the Hare, lays a trail using flour, chalk or paper while other runners, known as the Pack or Hounds, follow the trail.
Unlike conventional competitive races, Hash runs are designed around fun, exploration and fellowship. Participants follow trails that may include false tracks, loops and checkpoints, allowing runners and walkers of different abilities to participate.
Also speaking, Queen Hassana Ozohu-Salisu, a media professional and current Miss Nollywood International, said the Outsiders Hash House Harriers was not merely a running and social club but a platform for networking, skills development, partnerships and community impact.
Ozoho-Salisu, a member of the Outsiders Hash House Harriers, explained that the second run was initially conceived as a five-kilometre farewell run to mark her handing over the Miss Nollywood International crown.
She said the event was subsequently expanded following the death of the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Miss Nollywood International organisation, Barakumo Solomon Odede, making it a joint farewell event and an opportunity to promote the activities of the Hash.
According to her, the club uses its activities to create awareness, build partnerships and provide opportunities for members and the wider community.
“It’s not just about running and drinking and having fun. We organise projects, we collaborate and partner with global organisations, and we have different CSR programmes,” she said.
She listed youth empowerment, women’s development, skills training and initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals among areas the organisation seeks to support.
Ozoho-Salisu added that the club also provided a platform for professionals and entrepreneurs to interact, establish business relationships and discover new opportunities.
She said members could meet potential clients, establish friendships and even form lasting relationships through the social network created by the Hash.
She further explained that the club’s activities promote healthy living by encouraging people to stay active while simultaneously providing an avenue for social engagement.
The Outsiders Hash House Harriers’ activities combine running or walking with a social gathering after the trail, traditionally referred to as the “Circle,” where participants interact, share experiences, enjoy food and drinks, and welcome new members.
The club said its philosophy could broadly be summed up in three pillars: fitness, fellowship and giving back, with members encouraged to stay healthy, build meaningful relationships and contribute to their communities.
The organisers therefore invited members of the public interested in fitness, friendship, networking and community service to join the Outsiders Hash House Harriers.
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“Come and join us, come and have fun,” Fred said.
The traditional Hash expression, “On On!”, is used by members when a trail is found and also as a greeting or farewell.
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