The International Association of Lions Club District 404B-1 will hold a fund raising on Sunday for the building of an eye centre in Badagry, Lagos, It will also equip the centre.
It opted to build the centre after its needs assessment of some communities in the Badagry area. Its District Governor, Mrs Idowu Anobili, told reporters in Lagos yesterday that the centre would handle general eye care diseases.
The chairman of the Council of Governors, Lions Club International, Mr Samuel Ekpuk, has urged Nigerians to help the needy. He spoke at a news conference to herald the 31st convention of the Lions Clubs International, in Ibadan. He said that the club has helped the less privileged in the society.
“The Lions Club, understanding its roles in the society, has sent helping hands to the people of Nepal whose country experienced earthquake recently. There are always our members to help people. Our members in Nigeria have started raising funds as the first helped. In Nigeria, we have helped of flood disasters and internally displaced persons,” he said.
He listed the largest motherless home in Nigeria which was built by the club in Lekki, the Lions Accident Clinic on the Benin-Ore Interchange and the diabetes centre in Calabar as part of the club’s successes, adding that “we have a pilot programmes for children where they are taught about the effect of drug abuse and other social vices”.
Ekpuk hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for the peaceful poll which, he said, have put the nation on a higher pedestal, expressing optimism that the country is on its way to achieving firsts in all areas of governance.
He assured President-elect Muhammadu Buhari of the club’s support. He observed that “we are not partisan but we would work for the betterment of the society. We would fashion programmes that will be in line with the aspirations of the incoming administration”.
Ekpuk said the club would continue to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) by providing relief materials for victims of the insurgency.
I must tell you; today is one of the happiest days in my life. Before now we have many of our toilets abandoned because of lack of water, but with this gesture, all the toilets and laboratories will be put to use.”
These were the words of the Principal of Oregun Senior High School, Ikeja Lagos, Mrs Toyin Kuti when the Lagos Oregun Lions Club District 404B-2 inaugurated a water project it donated to the school last week.
The visibly excited principal was practically on her knees in appreciation of the club’s gesture which she said would pave way for cleaner and better environment for the students.
The inauguration of the water project was conducted by the District Governor, Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Abiodun Adediji, who said the gesture was done out of the club’s interest in helping communities.
“We are volunteers, friends, brothers and spirited Nigerians that put our resources together to help those who cannot help themselves in the communities,” he said.
He said though the school is owned by the government, it cannot do it all alone.
“It is part of our cooperation and partnership with Lagos State and other states of the federation to provide water because the government cannot do it alone. Though it is the responsibility of the government to provide water for this school, but then we cannot leave it for them alone. They cannot do it; that is why we are helping to provide water for these students so that the environment and toilets will be neat and they will have water to drink,” he said.
The 1st Vice President of the Club, Lion Kehinde Shogunle, said the water project will ease students’ and teachers’ hardship in getting water for use while in the school.
“The essence of this project is to ease the students’ hardship in going to get water outside the school for their uses. It will also help the cleaners in their work to keep the toilets clean and make their laboratories functional,” he said.
Members of Lions Club 404B-2 led by their district Governor, Abiodun Adediji, have held its last fitness walk for the year. It was tagged Lions Walk for Life.
The exercise which lasted about three hours commenced at Yabatech Staff School and ended at Rowe Park, Yaba on Lagos Mainland.
The coordinator of the monthly exercise, Lion Nkoli Ogunubi-Johnson, said that it is the desire of the club to ensure that its members stay fit “because we have a lot of work to do to humanity and if we are not fit physically, we won’t be able to carry out our responsibilities to the public. This walk also serves as an avenue to create awareness and encourage people to join us.”
Adediji, the pioneer governor of the district, also explained that the exercise goes beyond walking around as it also serves as an opportunity to showcase the organisation to the public.
“This was introduced because wellness is fitness and fitness is wellness. We decided to walk for life and in doing that we encourage people to join us so we can do more for the society. We really want to do more but we need more people to work with us so we can serve people better. This is an aggressive way of mobilising people to join us,” Adediji said.
Lions Walk for Life holds every third Saturday of the month. A monthly activity, the walk attracts members of the service club across the district and, according to its management, is meant to encourage a healthy lifestyle and attract more membership from the society.
The Okota Lions Club has installed Funke Faderera Adekoya as its 21st president at the Century Hotel, Okota, Lagos. AMIDU ARIJE and BASIRAT BRAIMAH were there.
It was a twin celebration; the investiture of Lion Funke Faderera Adekoya as the 21st president of the Okota Lions Club and her 50th birthday thanksgiving.
The fittings in the hall were beautiful. Members, guests and their family members were excited. They all appeared in gorgeous attires.
With badges on their chests, members of the club could easily be identified. Most women dressed in corporate wears while men wore the popular Atiku attire with caps. They exchanged pleasantries.
As they waited for the commencement of the investiture, a disk jockey (DJ) dished out music to the delight of all; some stood to dance while many shook their heads to the rhythms of the music.
The ceremony started with a prayer. The Lion anthem followed.
Guests were invited to the high table. The occasion was chaired by Mrs Funmi Sanusi.
When the celebrator, Adekoya, was invited to the high table, she was led in by members who danced to Michael Jackson’s song “We are the one”.
Lion International Club District 404B-1 Governor Lion Abiola Odeyemi was the chief host.
The Matron, Vocational Training Institute, Oshodi, Dr Victoria Aregbe, was the guest lecturer. She spoke on: “Our sight, our light”. She emphasised the importance of sight as she urged all to take care of it. She shed more light on how to prevent blindness.
In her valedictory speech, the outgoing president of the club, Lion Folashade Joseph, thanked God and members for their support and cooperation during her tenure. She highlighted some of her achievements which included best club award; best president award; best 10 clubs award and a letter of appreciation from the International President of the club, Barry Palmer, among others.
“Another year has passed with great achievements in the history of our club. We had a very busy and eventful year, focusing on youth and children empowerment, aiding the blind and the visually impaired, widows’ empowerment, and reading action programmes among others. All these earned us awards at the International and District levels,” she said.
Joseph urged her fellow Lions to stay off criticisms and support incoming president Faderera Adekoya.
In appreciation of their support, Lion Joseph presented awards to some members of the club and non members for their contributions to the success of her administration.
Lion Odeyemi conducted the investiture. Before the installation of Lion Adekoya, Lion Odeyemi sought the permission of her husband and children for the job, after which Lion Adekoya was installed.
All cheered and applauded the new president. Odeyemi took her round the tables to officially present her to guests and members of the club. She acknowledged cheers from guests.
Lion Odeyemi, who dressed in a suit congratulated the new president and members, urging them to uphold the club’s code of ethics at all time. He said his theme for the year is: “Service is caring, strengthen the pride”. With smiles, he wished the members a successful service year.
In her acceptance speech, Lion Adekoya described the position as another learning stage in her life and accepted to be the president with deepest humility and a true feeling for selfless service.
“Right from inception, I have always loved to reach out to people. My core project is on prevention of sight, I don’t believe in jam-packing things but if I can with God’s help give five to 10 patients back their sight, then I will say am fulfilled,” she said.
The celebrator’s husband, Superior Evangelist Sesan Adekoya, described her as a hardworking woman who seeks to promote human welfare. He said it gladdens his heart knowing a number of her dreams are being fulfilled.
She cut her one-layer gold and white cake with her family, club members and other guests amidst clicking cameras.
Some giggled at private jokes while others ate silently as the ceremony lasted.
After the vote of thanks, people joined the celebrator on the dance floor where they were till light faded.
•Empower 40 youths
The Lions Clubs District 404 A1, Nigeria, has donated multi-millionaire eye equipment to Iga Idunganran Heath Centre on Lagos Island, which was built by Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu.
Among the equipment were Slit Lamp Bio microscope, Perkins Tonometer, Visual Acuity Chart (Automated Text Chart), Professional Autolense Meter, Keeler Ophthalmoscope, Professional Keeler Retinoscope, Minor Microsurgical set, Trial Lens Box Set, Head Loupe, Near Point Charts, Automated Refractometer and Automated Vision Chart.
Led by its District-Governor, Laitan Onolaja, an engineer, the entourage was received by Oba Akiolu who was also the special guest of honour.
Onolaja said the gesture was part of the cardinal points of the club to assist the less-privileged.
He thanked Oba Akiolu and Zenith Bank for providing the health centre for the people, saying: “This is a laudable achievement because it is not an everyday occurrence that an individual initiates this, and this is what prompted us to contribute our quota to complementing Lagos State government’s effort in providing first-class health for its citizenry. The equipment donated today is of high standard and nobody will need to travel abroad seeking for eye treatment.”
He urged the state government to provide ophthalmologists that will run the clinic, while he promised his club’s readiness to render services when the need arises.
Commending the clubs for the gesture, Oba Akiolu praised the non-governmental organisation for their care for the less-privileged in the society.
While praising the Lions clubs for giving good medical care to the people, the paramount ruler commended the gesture of Zenith Bank under the leadership of Mr Jim Ovia on the project.
“There is no human being that doesn’t have one form of ailment or the other. By the time I conceived of the idea of this health centre, there was no support because they wanted Motor Park. I was not deterred because I know more of this benefit will come,” the monarch said.
Oba Akiolu, who described the equipment as high-standard, urged the ophthalmologist to take proper care of the equipment.
In her words, representative of Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Funmi Sokunbi thanked Lions clubs for the “laudable project,” explaining that it would go a long way in fighting avoidable blindness, which she said, was on the rise in developing countries.
The present Lagos State administration, she said, was committed to eradicating blindness in the state and partner with private organisations or individuals to make health affordable and reachable for the citizenry.
In a related development, Lions Clubs (District 404 A1) has also sponsored 40 young people to an Aspiring Entrepreneurs Programme (AEP) at Fate Foundation, Lagos. The participants selected from a large pool of applicants were required to present a business idea as part of the application process.
The five-day capacity-building programme is specially designed for aspiring entrepreneurs to provide them with basic skills, tools and networks required to start and run successful businesses with best practices in entrepreneurship while sticking to business fundamentals at all times.
The foundation, it was learnt, will conduct periodic reviews of the participants’ activities to identify how the knowledge acquired has improved their self-empowerment.
Accommodation was provided in Lagos for the youth drawn from various parts of the country, while feeding, transportation and cost of the enterprise training was completely borne by the clubs.
The District 404A2 of Lions Club has donated a diabetic diagnostic and treatment equipment worth N14 million to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
At the handover ceremony in Calabar, the District Governor for the 2014/15 Lions year, Princess Obo Mesembe Edet said the club had grown very large in the service to humanity.
Edet, who is also the Head of Corporate Affairs of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, said the core projects for the year would centre on health intervention.
She explained that as more communities needed help, the club would also address them.
Edet said: “We shall embark on hygiene campaign and sensitisation for adults and children. For the children, we shall take the campaign to various schools where the services of hygiene experts will be explored. Eye screening programmes shall be carried out at various locations at regular intervals; de-worming for children below 10 years shall also be undertaken by the district.”
UCTH’s Chief Medical Director Dr. Thomas Agan thanked the club for its gesture.
He described the donation as “uncommon and a novelty”.
The International Association of Lions Club, Multiple District 404, Nigeria, will hold its 2013 Integrated Campaign Against Measles, tagged: “One Shot One Life”, from Friday to November 7.
It will begin with a Road Show on Friday at the Lagos Island Local Government Secretariat. On Saturday children would be immunised at Iga Idunganran, Adeniji (Oba Oyekan) and Sura Primary Health Centre on Lagos Island and at Mushin Local Government Secretariat.