Nii The Menace runs 240km from Legon to KNUST in seven days for breast cancer awareness

Ghanaian runner Nii Okai, popularly known as Nii The Menace on TikTok, has successfully completed a 240km foot race from the University of Ghana in Legon to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi over a span of seven days. The primary aim of the grueling journey was to raise awareness about breast cancer, which is the leading cancer among women in Ghana, with most cases being diagnosed at a late stage.

Dr Roland Paaga, a specialist obstetrician-gynaecologist, revealed that nearly 70 percent of breast cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, with an estimated 4,650 to 5,000 new cases reported annually in the country. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer globally, and 670,000 succumbed to the disease.

Okai embarked on his seven-day run on 12 October, sharing a video from the road every evening until his final update on Sunday night. His route followed the Accra-Kumasi highway through the Eastern Region and into the Ashanti Region, where the Regional Health Directorate reported 561 breast cancer cases in 2024 and 351 in 2025. Okai linked each post to "pink October" and emphasized the importance of screening, stating, "Doing this run for all women out there to create awareness to get screened" on the fifth day.

Upon reaching Kumasi, Okai discovered that the Asokwa Municipal Health Directorate was offering free breast screening throughout October at the Nana Ama Serwaa Health Centre at Kaase. Health workers in the city have been encouraging women to perform monthly self-examinations of their breasts. On his final post, Okai expressed gratitude to his sponsors, Ecobank Ghana, Munchee Biscuit Ghana, Ofosu Mensah and Sons, and Win Energy.

The accomplished athlete, who also runs a running-gear store called Runner’s Haven, is not to be confused with a gospel musician of the same name. In early August, Okai had completed a 60km cross-regional run from North Legon to Koforidua. He arrived at KNUST a day after continuing students were scheduled to return to campus following the delayed start to the academic year.

With approximately 13,400 followers on his TikTok account, @the.nii.okai, Okai's initiative to raise awareness about breast cancer through his epic run has garnered significant attention.