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Tag: ROTARY

  • Rotary launches coastal restoration

    Rotary launches coastal restoration

    In a bid to promote its mission of improving the environment, Rotary International District 9112  has kicked off an environment-saving intervention tagged: Coastal Restoration Initiative.

    The initiative kicked off at Westside Beach, Okun, Ajah, Lagos, where 1000 coconut trees were planted along the coastal shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

    Speaking at the event, the governor of District 9112 Rotarian  Femi Adenekan said the “initiative is conceived to save the environment as well as reduce the adverse effect of climate change.”

    According to him the environment is one of the main focus areas of Rotary International. And the people need to consciously come to the realization that it is pertinent to save the environment, save people.

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    “People assume that the world belongs to them. They have forgotten that they are just tenants on the surface of the earth. If you try to change nature, nature will react, which is the reason we are having a lot of environmental damage in the world. Some wrong human activities, such as throwing plastics and other items into water or where it ought not to be is causing us environmental challenges. If we don’t take care of our environment, the environment will react and take us out of the surface of the earth,” Adenekan said.

    The chairman of the District 9112 Tree Planting Committee, Rtn. Gboyega Bada recommended the adoption of an “Every Rotarian Plant a Tree Every Year” policy and also indicated plans for Rotary International District 9112 to propose a Private Bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly  to enable all Lagos Residents plant a tree every year for the next five years to address the challenges of climate change.

    Also speaking at the event, one of the Guest Speakers, the world acclaimed horticulturist, Mr. Andrew Vale of Tolaram Group and The Lagos Free Zone, highlighted the importance of trees, saying; “planting trees improves air quality, reduces air pollution, and illnesses from air pollution. More so, plants produce oxygen and provide shelter, medicine, and many more.”

  • Rotary celebrates 40th Anniversary

    Rotary celebrates 40th Anniversary

    Rotary Club of Agege in Lagos State has celebrated its 40th anniversary.

    The ceremony, at Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, was attended by top dignitaries.

    At the event, Adewale Adebiyi was crowned 41st president of the club.

    In his acceptance speech, Adebiyi said the club is known for vocational training for youths.

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    He noted measures the club is making to establish a vocational and rehabilitation centre in partnership with the state to rehabilitate youths addicted to drugs.

    The new president said the club is raising N150 million for a club house, vocational rehabilitation centre and other projects.

    Chair of event’s Planning Committee, Kolawole Ojelabi, appealed for more Rotarians to give back to society.

    Outgoing President, Bayo Oke, urged members to support the new administration.

  • Rotary seeks media help on infant death

    Rotary seeks media help on infant death

    The Rotary International has solicited the supports of media organisations  in the  prevention of infant and maternal deaths in the country through their publications.

    The Country Director, Prof. Emmanuel Lufadeju made the appeal in  Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital during a 3-day training organized for media practitioners under the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive and Maternal Health (RMCH).

    Prof. Lufadeju said partnership between Rotary and the Nigerian media would aid the organization’s effort in tackling the alarming death rate of infant and women of childbearing age. He highlighted the role of journalists in ensuring accurate information reached the public while creating awareness to enable them make informed decision on reproductive, infant and maternal health care.

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    He said that the capacity  building  was organised to equip media practitioners with new knowledge and hone their skills towards improving well-being of women of childbearing age and children under the age of five in through sensitization and public awareness.

    Prof. Lufadeju lamented that Nigeria has one of the highest death rates in world among young children under the age five and  women of childbearing age with an estimation of about 512 maternal death per 100,000 live births and 132 deaths per 1,000 live births of children. 

    He added that Rotary was committed to improving the nation’s healthcare system and help bring down the high infant and maternal mortality and morbidity rate by embarking on various health intervention programmes.

  • Rotary lifts six traders

    Rotary lifts six traders

    As part of its microcredit scheme, the Rotary Club of Maryland has offered six traders N100,000 each.

    The event, according to the club’s President, Olalekan Olubajo, was part of activities to mark the District (9111) Governor Wole Kukoyi’s maiden visit and kick off their programmes for the new Rotary International year.

    He advised the traders to use the money judiciously, adding that to whom much is given, much would be expected. Some of the traders expressed appreciation to the club for the gesture.

    The club also donated some cartons of sanitary pads to pupils of Community Senior High School, Wasimi, Maryland, Lagos as well as unveiled a Roll of Honours in the school, among others. 

    It also held a talk on ‘How to avoid Sickle cell for them’ anchored by Dr. Iyinlola Aremu

    Olubajo said the club adopted the school as one of its own and had sited projects in it in the past. He urged the pupils to work hard so their names could be on the Roll and take care of the items from Rotary.

      Aremu warned the pupils against marrying without knowing the genotype of their spouse. “Sickle cell is avoidable if you understand your genotype. If you have AA, the only person you can marry is an AS,” he added. He said the pains that accompany sickle cell disease are too severe for anyone to fall prey to the killer disease.

    Also, he urged the female pupils to take proper care of themselves during their menstrual period and to remain calm as it is a natural occurrence. “For proper care, use sanitary pads,” he further said.

     Kukoyi said he has passion for sickle cell eradication, the reason he embarked on building a centre for it in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. “I encourage you to do a sickle cell test. Sickle cell and menstrual cycle are very important areas,” he added. 

    Read Also: Sickle cell avoidable, says Rotary

    Kukoyi, also a medical doctor and entrepreneur, advised the pupils to be studious as their future lies in hard work.

     The club visited the Awuse of Onigbongbo, Oba Oluwasegun Adeyemi Ajasa, Olaside 1. “We have a good relationship with the community and contribute to its development. We adopted the community and have done several projects and programmes in it. The palace has been supportive of the club,” Olubajo added.

    The monarch thanked them for the visit, saying he looked forward to a greater relationship.

  • Rotary gifts Lagos N28m health centre

    Rotary gifts Lagos N28m health centre

    AS part of its contribution to quality health care delivery at the grassroots, the Rotary Club of Onigbongbo has donated a N28million health centre to the Lagos State Government.

    The post, sited at Ajewole community near Irawo, Ikorodu, according to the immediate past president of the club, Razaq Babatunde Salau, took less than two years to build.

    Salau said they embarked on the project when they discovered from their need assessment that from Owode to Ajewole community, there is no public health centre, though there are many private clinics. He said this is not good in the state that prides itself as the Centre of Excellence.

    “But there is a need for the government to establish a public health centre. For when you talk of health care delivery and you don’t have a health facility, how can it get to the grassroots?

    “The health centre, therefore, is a contact point for the people.This is the reason we established the centre for the people,” he added. He pledged the club’s commitment to equip the centre,

     Salau further said: “We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government. Once we are done with equipping the centre, we will hand it over to the government. They are the ones that will bring in the personnel to run it and see to it that it is well managed. As at today, it has cost over N28million.”

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    Baale of Ajewole, Omoroiye Olaboye Yusuf expressed satisfaction with Rotary’s gesture. He recalled that the construction of the project, though started before he was crowned, was completed in his lifetime. “The project started in December 2022. I, therefore, thank God for the club for siting it here,” he said.

    He appealed to the government to construct an access road to the centre. “We have a road challenge. We appeal to the government to construct a road so people can access the centre. I am aware that the centre would be handed to the government. We need to join hands with the government to ensure that the centre is not abandoned. We will support the government to ensure that the facility is in good shape at all times,” he further said.

    At the event were the club’s new President, Adeyemi Lawal; Secretary, Joy Daniela Udenze, Past Assistant Governors, Sola Benson, Terrymore Ogugbawa, Yinka Adeogun and Dr Babajide Awolesi.

  • Rotary donates to Onigbongbo LCDA, school

    Rotary donates to Onigbongbo LCDA, school

    In its quest to stem the spread of cholera, the Rotary Club of Onigbongbo has donated sanitisers and other items to Onigbongbo Local Development Council Area (LCDA).

    Making the donation, the immediate past president of the club, Razak Babatunde Salau, said: ‘’It was their response to the letter they got from the council to help to stamp out cholera. The materials include jackets/isolation gowns, face masks, and wash sanitiser. We learnt that out of the 10 cases of cholera, the LCDA had six.

    “This is our community and they said charity begins at home. If we do not do anything, questions might be asked.’’

    The LCDA Medical Officer, Abimbola Salau,  confirmed that she wrote to the club for assistance and was glad that they responded.

    The LCDA Chairman, Oladotun Olakanle, expressed satisfaction with the gesture, saying: “It is highly appreciated’’. He noted that he had known Rotary for some time, especially their objective of giving back to the society and promised to give.

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    The club also donated no less than 200 sanitary pads to the pupils and teachers of Victory Grammar School, Ikeja. Salau said their objective is to help them overcome the stress of growing up. He recalled that they have a long-standing relationship with the school as they once gifted them a hall and that they wanted to revive it.

    He later formed an Interactor Club in the school.

    The school’s principal, Sunday Paimo, said Rotary’s gesture for the girls was worthy of emulation. He noted the club’s training on good hygiene at the event. “We have been enjoying Rotary as they impact society,’’ he added.

  • Rotary organisation seeks media partnership

    Rotary organisation seeks media partnership

    Media coverage is vital to the activities of Rotary, the Chair, District 9112, Ehi Braimah, has said.
    He stated this during a seminar for the Rotary’s public imagers in Ikeja, Lagos.
    Braimah, a media practitioner and Chair, Rotary Club of Lagos, said the objective of the event was to hone the skills of Rotarians involved in public-image making.
    He canvassed a vibrant media to enable them to tell the story of their activities well. He said Rotarians do many things that are either underreported or not reported at all and that the new thinking is to partner the media to enable them to get adequate coverage.

    Read Also: Rotary to end sickle cell, others


    Guest of honour, Bisi Olatilo, a veteran broadcaster, who promised to report the activities of Rotary, pledged the platform of his firm, BISCON Communications Limited, towards achieving their goals. He noted that Rotarians “go out of their way to do good things for people.’’
    To assist Rotary in what he called its selfless service, Olatilo donard N.5million to it.
    Pioneer Governor, Rotary International District 9112 Femi Adenekan, who praised Olatilo for the gesture, affirmed that image-making is important to their work. He therefore urged that those charged with this responsibility should take it seriously.

  • Rotary spends $7,000 to fix Lagos primary school toilets

    Rotary spends $7,000 to fix Lagos primary school toilets

    Rotary Club of Onigbongbo has spent a $7,000 (about N10.5 million) to rehabilitate the dilapidated toilets at Oshodi Model Primary School, Lagos State. It also built a water system for it.

    Inaugurating the facility last Friday, the outgoing President of the club, Razaq Babatunde Salau, said while its partner on the project, the Rotary Club of Pleasanton, California, United States, provided $5,800, his colleagues contributed the balance.

    He explained that when they came for a needs assessment, the toilets were in a state of squalor and the club rebuilt the seven toilets for boys, eight for the girls and two for their teachers with a record time of one year.

    He thanked Pleasanton Club for living up to its pledge to partner them on the reconstruction of the toilets under the Rotary International (RI) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme, focal areas of Rotary International (RI), when they met at the West African Project Fair.

    He said the teachers and pupils had been trained to maintain the facility, urging them to not relent on their promise. To help them, the club bought cleaning materials for them.

    A representative of the Rl  District 9110 Governor, Yinka Adeosun, an Assistant Governor, who described the project as a ‘’landmark’’, said what the two clubs had done was worthy of emulation and that the DG was proud of them.

    Executive Secretary, Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Mr. Mayowa Alakija, thanked Rotary for the gesture. Describing the step as something that would make an impact on the pupils, he said it is even more so as many people do not have access to good toilets and clean water, adding that such or similar projects are welcome as the government could not do it alone.

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    Both the Head of Section of the LGEA, Mrs. Titilayo Aderemi, and her counterpart, Mrs. Risikat Omotuyi, also praised Rotary, adding that the club should extend their hand to more schools.

    The Chairman, Parents Forum (PF), John Ugbodaga and the school’s Headmistress, Mrs. Fasiat Abdulwaheed, also expressed happiness with Rotary. Specifically, Ugbodaga recalled that when he sought parents’ assistance for the then unhealthy toilets, they turned him down. Now, his joy was full, he said.

    At the event were the club’s President-elect, Adeyemi Lawal; Past Assistant Governor, Sola Benson; past president, Yinka Adeogun; Secretary, Daniela Udenze; Service Projects Chairman, Terrymore Odugbawa; and Olateju Olutola, among others.

    The pupils entertained the Rotarians and guests with songs.

  • Bayelsa philanthropist receives Rotary’s humanitarian award of excellence

    Bayelsa philanthropist receives Rotary’s humanitarian award of excellence

    A Bayelsa born philanthropist, lawyer and businessman, Dr Moses Dickson, has been conferred with the Humanitarian Service Award by the Rotary Club.

    Rotary, in the award letter by its President, Princewill Okoro; HOC Chairman, Hamilton Odom and Secretary, Angela Obatua, said the award was in recognition of his numerous genuine and selfless contributions to the service of humanity through the years.

    Receiving the award, Oruaze described the gesture as an honour from the Rotary Alumni Association District 9141/9142 in Yenagoa. 

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    He recalled the roles played by the foundation to ameliorate the hardship of the vulnerable during the devastating floods especially nursing mothers and children in Bayelsa insisting that the foundation continue to live up to its mandates.

    He said: “It was a humbling moment to stand before so many men and women of distinguished backgrounds, character and goodwill in recognition of our years of selfless service to humanity through the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation . 

    Dedicating the award to his family, the staff, volunteers, donors and partners, the Founder of the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation (GDF) said the recognition was a motivation to its journey of service to humanity, one life at a time .

    “I dedicate this award to my family, the Goldcoast staff, the many volunteers, partners and donors who have stood by us through the times and seasons in this selfless journey of service to touch one life at a time”.

  • Rotary District 9111 training ends Sunday

    Rotary District 9111 training ends Sunday

    The Rotary International District 9111 District Training Assembly (DTA) which started yesterday will be rounded off Sunday.

    Rotary District 9111 Governor-elect, Dr. Wole Kukoyi,  said: “Participants include clubs’ presidents, secretaries, treasurers, Foundation, and Membership chairpersons.”

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    “Rotary District 9111 Training Coordinator, Rotarian Omotunde Lawson, the immediate Past District Governor, will lead other resource persons at the training.”