By Gilbert Ekezie
It was pure fun and excitement recently in Lagos when members of Rotary Club of Satellite Town, Lagos District 9110, Nigeria, installed Obikah Chito Nonyelum the club’s 36th president.
The forum was also used to induct some board members of the club for the 2017/2018 year.
Mr. Okafor Michael, who read the objectives of the club, said Rotary encouraged and fosters the ideals of service, as a basis of worthy enterprise.
“Rotary club has high ethical standard in business, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society. We also have the object of application of the ideal of service in every Rotarian’s personal, business and community life, as well as the advancement of international understanding goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.”
The outgoing president, Mr. Jones Olomu, described Rotary Club as a voluntary organisation of about 1.2 million businessmen and professionals united worldwide to provide humanitarian serviced and help build goodwill and peace.
According to him, the club addresses illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water, environmental concerns and encourages high ethical standards in all vocations.
The guest speaker, Capt. Benjamin Gageche spoke on the consequences of insecurity, pointing out that the necessary corrective measures should be taken in order not to be victims.
Gageche, who was represented by Mr. Felix Nwagu, noted that it is important to maintain a low profile, avoid black spots, restrict bank information and maintain family security code.
“Other important security measures include; do not try to escape when kidnapped, obey all instructions of the kidnappers, eat food given to you and advise your negotiating team not to be rude.”
Rotary Club District 9110 Nigeria’s governor-nominee, Dr Jide Akeredolu said the club is all about fun, happiness and reaching out. He advised the new president to engage in projects that would have positive impacts on the people of Satellite community.
“She should go round the community to know their needs and then see how she can impact in their lives in her own little way.”
The new president, Obikah Chito Nonyelum, said the event ushered in a new era of purposeful and visionary leadership spearheaded by her with the full support of her board of directors and members.
She said with her leadership, Rotary Club of Satellite Town would explore new ways of making a difference through her elaborate service-oriented programmes and robust service projects.
According to her, Rotary Club’s consistent and visionary commitment to the noble cause of humanity had endeared it to mankind and had portrayed the club as a leading light in the service of humanity.
She pledged to work hard to execute all the projects and programmes outlined by her administration for this year.
“We are indeed committed to consolidating the impressive record of performance of my predecessor through a conscious leverage on the critical areas of focus of my administration which will target the most vulnerable groups of our community. These include; the elderly, pregnant women, children, sick people and the unemployed. This will bring the club closer to the people our community.”
Obikah further explained that her administration would focus on planting of trees, road traffic control, awareness, mounting of billboards with a four-way test, vocational training, career talk, donation of educational materials to secondary schools in Satellite Town, deworming of children, donation of mosquito nets and malaria drugs to children in riverine areas in Satellite Town and many other projects.