The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rotary Club

  • Rotary Club installs female president

    The Rotary Club of Ilupeju Central District has held its 5th handover and the investiture of its president.

    The event, which held at the Banquet Hall K-one Hotel and Suites, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja witnessed the inauguration of Eniola Afolabi as the first female president of the Rotary Club of Ilupeju Central District. She joined the Club in June, 2013.

    In his speech, the outgone President, Otunba Douglas Ishiodu paid tribute to his successor.

    ‘‘In her years, she served as Assistant Secretary/member Strategic Planning Committee and has held various positions which helped in taking the club to greater heights. Give her your supports.

    “Today, we induct her as President of the Rotary of Club of Ilupeju Central District,’’ he said.

    In her acceptance speech, Afolabi said: ‘‘I sincerely appreciate the significant contributions of our past presidents who have supported the club through thick and thin these five years to ensure that the club remains afloat, moving members beyond the club level to serve at district in various capacities through persistence and shear resolve to keep the torch burning no matter the situation.

    ‘‘I recognise the significant efforts of the state government, Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area and the community, stakeholders who had made our community a better place to live in.

    ‘‘As Rotarians, our cause and destiny lie in serving humanity and as change agents we have resolved to make the world a better place. We have various projects outlined for this year such as donation of school library centre, donation to old people’s home, supporting health-based programme, micro-credit for unemployed youths and market women, among others.

    ‘‘I enjoin you to support our initiatives and donate generously to ensure our quest to serve humanity is achieved,’’ she said.

    The new president will be assisted by the Vice-President Segun Awonuga ,Secretary, Folorunsho Ashecroft, Treasurer, Olamide Oguntayo, Chairman Club Administration Fitgerald Oleah, Chairman Membership Drive, Bridget Jaga-Creppy, Chairman Service Projects, Tope Kuyoro, Chairman Foundation, Ayo Ojo, Chairman PR, Debo-Luwaji, Chairman History and Archives, Gbenga Eleshin, Chairman Youth Activity, Biodun Adepoju, We Care Committee, Mercy Odoom and Babatunde Airoje SAA.

  • Rotary Club gets president

    Rotary Club gets president

    The President of Rotary Club of Opebi, Michael Oladimeji Olawale Ajayi, has pledged to continue to build on the sustainable humanitarian services which are its core objectives. He also said he would help to make the society free of poverty.

    Ajayi spoke shortly after his decoration as the 34th President of the club. He will pilot the affairs of the club for the 2016 and 2017 Rotary Year.

    The gathering, which drew family, friends and many dignitaries across the country, was not just to witness the installation or felicitate with the new helmsman and members of his board but also to raise funds to execute various community projects.

    He took over the mantle of leadership of the club from Mrs. Grace Zainab Nnenne Enakhume, who served between 2015 and 2016.

    The projects for 2016 and 2017, according to Ajayi, were 500 units of branded bed sheets for hospitals, youth empowerment/vocational training for young entrepreneurs, awareness campaign for stroke, sanitation for hand washing, training for small-scale business people in record keeping, accounting and taxation and donation of mosquito nets to remand homes in Lagos and Ogun states.

    Others include building of befitting toilet facilities for schools in some communities, support for the eradication of polio virus and donation of books and other educational materials to schools.

    Ajayi appealed for support from members of the club and well-meaning Nigerians to enable him to achieve the set goals.

    He urged the members to introduce more people who are willing to serve humanity without expecting returns.

    “Encourage likeminded people to join the club and to support the club’s goals financially. The problems of the world cannot be solved by a single person. Little efforts from individuals can produce amazing results. Serving humanity does not require status or religious. Bring humanity to practice and balance,” he pleaded.

    Mrs. Enakhume appealed to members to support the new president to enable him, in line with Rotary International policies, to promote, improve and strengthen active participation of all members to participate in executing projects that will make a difference and improve the standard of living of the people.

  • Polio: Rotary Club immunizes 1,000 children in Oyo

    Polio: Rotary Club immunizes 1,000 children in Oyo

    Over one thousand children have been vaccinated and immunized against Polio virus in Oyo town. The programme was facilitated by the Rotary Club of Oyo to commemorate annual World Polio day. The social organization embarked on sensitization rally and house to house vaccination of children that were yet to be immunized against the disease.

    The event amid fun-fare which took off from Durbar health centre moved to Araromi health centre, Owode, Akeetan Baale, Idi-Ope, Alalubosa, Asogo, Akesan, and ended up at Afin maternity centre. Most parents did not hide their ignorance of the disease, as they hid their children who were between ages of one and five years from being vaccinated, apparently due to indoctrination.

    After painstaking sensitization at every household visited about ten minutes, parents eventually opened their doors and brought out their children for immunization. Two of the parents confided in our correspondent that they were being misconceived by the family elders on the dangers of allowing our children to be vaccinated.

    “They [family elders] told us that if our children are vaccinated it will lead to big sores that could not be cured and can lead to premature deaths. We were also told that if any syrup is dropped into the children’s mouth, the bitter taste of the syrup will kill our children”. They were however full of praises to the Rotary Club for the opportunity of enlightening and saving their children from premature deaths.

    Their joy knew no bounds, as they took to dances with members of the club to show their appreciation. In his comment, President of the club, Barrister Olajide Olanipekun said  “ the detection of children paralysed by polio shows that surveillance has increased with more access, but it is a reminder that the country needs to remain vigilant and immunise all eligible children with polio vaccine until polio is completely eradicated worldwide. That is what we are doing, as one of the major concerns of the Rotary Club”.

    Also, Chairman of the Polio Committee, Dr. Kadejo Ayorinde explained that ‘’Our overriding priority right now is to rapidly boost immunity in the affected areas to ensure that no more children are affected by this terrible disease.”

    Olanipekun recalled that “in 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide, but the country has made significant strides in recent years, going two years without a single case.”This progress has been as a result of concerted efforts by all level of government,  Rotary  Club, traditional and religious leaders as well as dedicated health workers” .

    Ayorinde called on states and local governments to redouble their efforts by safeguarding their territories from importation of the virus, by providing the required leadership and ensuring accountability among healthcare workers and other stakeholders.

    Following the worrisome confirmation of two cases of Polio Virus in Borno State, UNICEF has said the two new cases of polio in Nigeria

    underline the prevailing risks children encountered in conflict zones. UNICEF Polio Eradication Director Reza Hossaini said news about the two cases was devastating to the whole efforts to completely eradicate polio from Nigeria.

    He said: The sobering news that two children have been paralysed by wild poliovirus in North-eastern Nigeria underscores the urgency of eradicating the disease in conflict-affected areas. The Government of Nigeria and the World Health Organisation also confirmed an outbreak of wild poliovirus in conflict-ridden Borno state, where children are already facing dangerously high levels of malnutrition.

    “According to Hossaini, “the two cases were discovered in parts of Borno that have recently become accessible, but large areas of the

    state remain unreachable. The two new cases mean children across the Lake Chad region are now at particular risk. With our partners, we will not stop until we reach every child with polio vaccination,”he said.

  • WHO confirms Nigeria’s third polio case

    WHO confirms Nigeria’s third polio case

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a third case of polio in Nigeria, Rotary Club said Monday.

    According to a Rotary report, a crippled toddler found in an area newly liberated from Boko Haram militants was confirmed as the latest case.

    Nigeria had gone two years without recording any case of polio and was to be certified polio free next year before the recent development.

    WHO warned that more cases are expected to be discovered in these areas, stressing that “it is an indicator that Nigeria’s war on polio cannot be won until it overcomes the insurgency by extremists who are violently opposed to western medicine.”

    The United Nations Children’s Fund has warned that about one million children are in areas too dangerous to access.

    Rotary is part of a new emergency immunization drive that vaccinated more than 1.5 million children last week in Borno, where WHO has said the virus has been circulating undetected for five years and where Boko Haram began its uprising in 2009.

    The campaign is expected to spread across the country, with a plan to reach 25 million children before the end of the year.

  • Rotary Club gets President

    Rotary Club gets President

    THE Rotary Club, Akowonjo, Lagos  has a new president. He is Sola Abidakun, a lawyer.

    Abidakun, in a statement, urged voluntary organisations to collaborate with the communities for development projects.

    Abidakun, who took over the baton of leadership from Mr. Gbenga Ojo, said the Rotary Club members had been known for contributing their quota to the development of their various communities.

    Abidakun added that it was high time other charity organisations emulated the gesture in practical terms.

    “For instance, Rotary Club of Akowonjo has consistently donated to public hospitals and dug bore-holes for depraved communities and what we are doing is to tell all that government alone cannot meet all our needs. We need other charity, voluntary organisations to follow this path,” he said.

    Abidakun enjoined religious bodies to cultivate the habit of giving back to the society.

    While handing over to Abidakun, Ojo said 17 members were inducted into the Rotary Club during his one-year administration, urging the new president not to rest on his oars in bringing in more members.

     

  • New helmsman for Rotary Club, Isolo

    New helmsman for Rotary Club, Isolo

    The Rotary Club of Isolo has installed Mrs Lolade Temitope Ogungbe as its 35th President.

    The event held last Saturday at the Events Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Executive Director of Babsek Nigeria Limited Mr Abayomi Adewunmi, a past District Governor of the Rotary, was the guest  speaker on the occasion.

    He spoke on the topic: “What is Rotary?”.

    He said the cornerstone of the Rotary is membership,  urging members to be loyal to the 110-year-old club by suppoting its projects.

    Present at the event were: Senator Ganiyu Solomon; founding partner and CEO of Centrespread, Mr Kola Ayanwale; Chief Michael Olawale-Cole; Executive Manager Deep Water Administration Total Mrs  Chinyere Uche; Managing Director Continental Loss Adjusters and Director, Great Nigeria Insurance Plc, Chief Olatunji Idowu, among others.

    Mrs  Ogungbe enjoined all to get acquainted with the activities of Rotary, urging all to assist the organisation to raise funds.

  • Rotary club donates sick bay to school

    Rotary Club of Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos, has donated a sick bay to Community Senior High School, Wasimi in Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area of the state.

    Rotn Mallinson Ukati, a philanthropist, donated the sick bay on behalf of the club.

    Speaking at the event, the district governor, Rotn.Otunba Bolaji Onabadejo, paid tributes to the initiator of the project, Mrs. Mercy Ola Adegboyegun, a deceased head teacher of the school whose zeal, according to him, facilitated the actualization of the project.

    He charged children and youths to justifiably appreciate the huge investments on them by their parents and the nation at large by excelling in all their endeavours.

    The pupils elated by the donation, expressed appreciation to the club for supporting the school.

  • New District Governor for Rotary Club

    New District Governor for Rotary Club

    the Rotary Club District 9140 Nigeria has installed a new District Governor for the 2015/2016.

    She is Rotarian Ijeoma Pearl Okoro. Rotary Club District 9140 comprises of Rotary Clubs in eleven states of the Southsouth and Southsast.

    Rotarian Ijeoma succeeded HRM Noble Eshemitan with effect from the July 1.

    HRM Noble Eshemitan is the paramount ruler of Oghara kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The new District governor was installed at Aztech Arcum Event Centre, Stadium Road, Port Harcourt. The colourful installation ceremony featured oath taking by the new district governor, investiture, lecture, cutting of cake, music among others.

    Dignitaries who graced the installation ceremony are Rotarian Mike Omotosho, the District Governor of Rotary Club District 9125, Rotarian (Otunba) Bola Onabadejo , District Governor of district 9110, Rotarian, Akabom Enebong, District Governor elect, of district 9140. Others include  Rotarian Olaoluwa Olugbodi , Rotary Global History Fellowship(RGHF) Zone services coordinator, League of past District Governors  from district 9140, among others.

    The guest speaker, Prof. Chris Nwamuo, Director Bassey Andah Institute for African and Asian Studies, University of Calabar emphasised  the need to embrace peace even in the face of the security challenges the country is passing through. He affirmed  that peace start with individual stressing that it is the  duty of every individual to create peaceful arena which will spread out to other parts of the country and the world at large.

    The outgoing district governor 14/15, HRM Noble Eshemitan in his valedictory address said that for the past one year there are no cases of Polio in Nigeria.

    The monarch expressed his delight for having the opportunity to serve humanity through the Rotary club. He thanked all those that made his tenure as the district governor a success. He concluded his speech by with this phrase; ‘in Rotary, we look for solutions not excuses’.

    The new District Governor, Rotarian Ijeoma, said she joined Rotary club by divine invitation on September 20,  1999 because of her zeal to serve humanity. She thanked the district members for believing in her ability to be a servant leader. She encouraged Rotarians to continue to support humanity without counting the cost.

    While giving a highlight of her plans for the year, she said: “This Rotary year there is micro credit scheme program organized by the ddistrict. Also, there would be mentoring for the youths because they are gift to their parents and the  community.  Rotary D9140 shall continue to support Rotary foundation in the course to end polio in Nigeria.”

    There was also the cutting of the installation cake by the new district governor flanked by the past District Governors, among other activities to spice up the installation ceremony.

     

  • Larry Agose installed President of Lagos Rotary Club

    Larry Agose, former Nigerian Breweries image maker was recently honoured Adetutu Audu was there

    I was a night of music, fun and entertainment as Larry Agose, former image maker of Nigerian Breweries Plc, was installed as the 55th president of the Rotary Club of Lagos.

    The event which took place at the Metropolitan club, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, had in attendance several members of the club, including the immediate past president, Ayo Banjo, who bowed out in a blaze of glory.

    On hand to add spice and colour to the occasion was former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia, who was chairman of the occasion; and Chairman of the Board of Diamond Bank Plc Dr, Chris Ogbechie, who was guest speaker.

    Speaking after his investiture, Agose thanked his colleagues for their commitment to the club, stressing that they would strive to continue on the path of service to humanity in the coming Rotary Year.

    Listing the areas the club would be focusing on in the coming year; Agose said he has identified six areas, which include Basic Education and Literacy, Economic and Community Development, Disease Prevention and Treatment, and Water and Sanitation.

    Others, he said, are Conflict Resolution and Maternal and Child Health.

    He explained that these projects would cost the club almost N20million in the Rotary year and called on well-meaning Nigerians to support the worthy causes, for which Rotary Clubs worldwide are known.

    Out-going president, Ayo Banjo, while giving account of his stewardship and activities to the club in the last one year, said the club was involved in so many positive and life-changing activities.

    “We have had major accomplishments this year. We have taken the initiative of adopting a village in Ibeju Lekki and teaching about 5000 residents how to make money through vocations. We also adopted malnourished children and pregnant women in the village.”

    Speaking further on activities of the club in the last Rotary Year, Banjo said the club held an End of the Year Children’s Party for children of the Campos Square area of Lagos Island, while the club also “assisted three physically challenged students of the University of Lagos, as we provided them with N100,000 each to subsidise their tuition and cost of living for a full academic year.”

    He disclosed that the club also provided e-library to a public secondary school, in collaboration with the management of Dowen College, Lekki, which donated the sum of N1.5million for the project.

    He thanked those who have invested their time, funds and energy in helping the club achieve its objectives in the course of the year, stressing that without them, they would not have been able to achieve anything.

    Chairman of the occasion, General Alexander Ogomudia, praised the impact of Rotary Clubs on societies where they are found. He, however, lamented the dearth of moral and ethical standards in every aspect of the nation’s public and private lives.

    The guest speaker, Dr. Chris Ogbechie, on his part spoke on the joy of giving. He said in the spirit behind the Rotary philosophy, there is always gain in giving.

    The evening did not go without the thrills and frills of such occasions, as guests went home with fantastic prices after a raffle draw.

    The climax of this segment was when those who had bought raffle tickets waited with bated breaths for the winner of the star prize of an all expenses paid return tickets for two to the United Kingdom, to be announced. Other prizes won include microwave oven, blenders and juice mixers.

    The night did not end without a fund raiser by the club towards financing its projects in the coming year.

    The Rotary Year starts on July 1st of every year with the installation of a new president, and ends on June 30th of the following year.

  • Rotary Club equips Kwara institution

    Rotary Club equips Kwara institution

    •The science lab
    •The science lab

    The Rotary Club has helped to put some school challenges at bay. A shortfall in laboratories and scarcity of drinking water are some of the concerns at Senior Secondary School, Isolo-Opin, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    The Rotary Club of Ilorin GRA has provided a motorised borehole and also built a science lab for the school. Both facilities were valued at about N2.7 million.

    Speaking during the commissioning of the projects, President of the club and former military administrator of Bauchi and Osun states, Col Theophilus Bamigboye urged well-heeled in the society to partner with government at all levels to boost education in Nigeria.

    The retired military officer lamented the falling standard of education in Nigeria, adding, “With what we met here in the school before our intervention, I don’t see anybody passing through this school that can further his education on science and technology-oriented courses. But with what we have put in place I believe the sky is the limit for them.”

    He said: “I urge individuals, corporate bodies and other voluntary organizations to partner with government at all levels to move education forward in Nigeria. That is the norm in advanced countries, that is why Rotary Club has decided to assist the community and this will encourage others to do same.

    “This community will serve as our star project. After this first phase we will come back to sink more boreholes in the community. We will upgrade the medical centre in the community. Being a global village after my presidency, my successors will continue to visit here.”

    In remark, the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Saka Onimago charged individuals and organizations in the state to emulate Rotary Club to improve the standard of education “in general in line with the state government education reform agenda.”

    Represented by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji AbdulHameed Alabi, the commissioner said “no government, however endowed and benevolent, can single-handedly provide all the needs of its citizenry. It is therefore gratifying to note that notable non-governmental organisations and wealthy individuals are coming forward to fill the gap in the provision of critical infrastructural facilities in our schools. More so at this austere period when governments at all levels are facing acute shortage of funds to execute their projects.

    “In line with the club’s spirit of humanitarianism, selflessness and altruism, this noble club adopted this secondary school and embarked on some projects which were considered most critical to the school community. I am most delighted to say that all the projects identified had been successfully completed and we are gathered here today to witness their official commissioning.

    “I wish to call on the school community to jealously safeguard the projects with a view to ensuring their longevity and as a way of attracting similar project to the school both now and in the future.

    Earlier, the Principal of the school, Mr. Ayo Abegunde listed the areas of the club’s intervention as upgrading of the school laboratories with valuable materials; provision of 85 lockers and chairs; multipurpose water project serving the laboratories; extension of electricity to the school and erection of a befitting signpost.

    Narrating what led to the club’s intervention in the school, the principal acknowledged of a former youth corps member who brought the attention of members to the deplorable condition of some the facilities in the school.

    His words: “What we are all witnessing today started with the singular efforts of a youth corps member, who decided towards the tail end of her service year in 2012 to build a VIP toilet for the school. Being a rotaract she got in touch with Rotary Club of Ilorin which eventually sponsored and commissioned the project.

    “Before commissioning the toilet some members of the club visited the school to assess progress of and saw the deplorable condition of facilities in the school. The club was particularly concerned about the unplastered laboratory block without ceiling and materials; the half completed assembly hall; the block of three classrooms though renovated by the state government, but with broken lockers and chairs; the library at foundation stage and the half completed computer room without computers.

    “With the above in terrible state of disrepair not conducive for learning in an institution the club drew the attention of Rotary Club International with a view to finding ways of assisting the school.”

    Mr. Abegunde said that the club had therefore, designated Isolo-Opin community and global village and cited star projects at its senior secondary school.