The Content Editor of The New Diplomat Newspaper, Mr Bankole Shakirudeen Adeshina, has been inducted as the Charter President of the Rotary Club of Idimu High-Rise, District 9110, Nigeria.
At the induction, the Governor of the Rotary International, District 9110, Rotarian Bola Oyebade also handed over the Certificate of Incorporation of the Club to the new president.
The public presentation followed the earlier approval of the request for the organisation of the club by the Rotary International President, Huger Knaack, on August 17, 2020.
The event, which was well attended by the Rotary District Leadership, including the District Governor-Elect, Mr Remi Bello, and the District Governor-Nominee, Omotunde Lawson, also featured the induction of the Board of Directors and members of the club, and unveiling of the club’s Strategic Growth Plans.
The Rotary District Governor, in his speech, said the chartering of the Rotary Club of Idimu High-Rise, was in response to the membership Emergency in Rotary, a reputable international humanitarian organization with two permanent seats in the United Nations, and over 1.2million volunteers across 200 countries of the world.
According to Oyebade, there are currently 3,357 under his district, a number that is significantly disproportionate to the overwhelming socio-economic and community development interventions urgently needed across Lagos and Ogun States. He admonished good-spirited Nigerians to join the voluntary organization to help spread hopes and kindness across the world.
He said: “there are total of 109 Rotary Clubs in our District at the moment. Of course we have a goal to expand by 50% of the current figure at the end of the ongoing Rotary year, hence the importance of this addition, the Rotary Club of Idimu High-Rise.
“Interestingly however, the more Rotary Clubs we have, the more our capacity and capabilities to help address the economic deprivation challenges across our communities, hence the necessity for good people to join us on this rescue mission,” Oyebade explained.
The Chairman of the occasion, Founder and Chairman, Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, in his remarks, said his company, whose fundamental was built upon helping alleviate the problem of poverty in the country, said he was ready to partner with Rotary to continue to help Nigerians.
Represented by his wife, Mrs. Ehigiamusoue, the LAPO Founder, reminisced how he started LAPO Microfinance Bank over 30 years ago with a modest sum of N10,131, urged Rotary and other NGOs to rise to the current economic emergency situation in the country.
“The sad event of the past weeks are only pointers to a greater challenge of frightening youth unemployment. Africa and Nigeria in particular are sadly running behind in addressing this challenge, which could lead to crisis of frightening magnitude.”
Adeshina, the newly inducted President, in his remarks, said a 5-point Strategic Growth Plan for the club, has been released, and mostly focused on “membership Development, Aggressive Giving to Rotary Foundation, Economic and Health Interventions, Basic Education and Literacy, and Conflict Resolution and World Peace.”
In his lecture, the Guest Speaker, Abayomi Ajenifuja, a Financial Risk Management Expert and Executive Director, LaFAM Facility Management Limited, said “inequitable distribution of the nation’s wealth, was responsible for the prevailing economic challenges in the land.”
He said the primary solution to the prevailing developmental challenges is credible leadership, closing of the existing gaps between the rich and the poor, and entrenchment of social justice system for all.
“A lot of people are in financial mess as we speak. The outbreak of COVID 19 has strangulated many people, economically. The destructions that followed the #EndSARS Protest was too much to bear as an addition.
“If you check our national budget in the last 20 years, it’s been revolving around $20billion. Now, check the cost of destruction from the aftermath of #EndSARS protection, coupled with the damages done and still being done to our economy, you will all agree with me that we are in a serious financial mess,” Ajenifuja said.
