On Thursday March 28, members of Lions Club from far and near, medical experts, family members and others converged on the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.
They were there to lay the foundation stone for the construction of a dialysis centre. It is being built by the Lions Club International in honour of the late District Governor, District 4041A, Isaac Olusola Dada.
The facility is to be known as Lion Isaac Olusola Dada Dialysis Centre.
Dada died on July 16, 2017 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on his way from the Lions Clubs International Convention Chicago, United States, where he was sworn in as District Governor.
Among the dignitaries at the event were Dada’s widow, Omolola, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, Dr. Teslim Sanusi, Mr. Adediji, Mr. Oyekanmi, Chairman, Board of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Alh Isa Bello Sali; Past International President, Lion Club , Dr. Naresh Aggarwal; and Chief Tunde Afolabi, among others.
It was gathered that the centre was a lifelong dream of the late accountant. He had planned that the centre would be his legacy project in the hospital and in Lagos State in his term as district governor.
After Dada’s death, his family, friends and members of Lions’ Club in Nigeria continued to push for the realisation of his dream. Such efforts gave birth to the foundation laying ceremony of the centre, which is estimated to cost N210 million. The facility, it was gathered, will be completed within nine months.
Professor Adewole, at the event, thanked the family of late Dada, the Lions Club and everyone that contributed to making the ceremony possible.
His words: “We’re gathered today to honour the goodness of one man, whose clarion call is reaching us from the paradise where he is now.
“In Lagos, with over 20 million persons, there is paucity of many critical care needs. One of them is the fact that we have very low numbers of dialysis centres where people, who are critically ill with kidney diseases, can go and readily get care.
“The same thing with intensive care unit in Lagos and so many other places. So, this has come as a great benefit to, not just LUTH, but to the whole of Lagos and Nigeria. We need more of this not only in Lagos but all over Nigeria.
Dr. Naresh Aggarwal, the US-based Chairman of Lions Club International Foundation, expressed delight at the commencement of the building of the health facility in honour of Dada.
“I never knew that I was going to lose a brother, but when I came back from a trip, the sad news came. But I’m very happy. We’re leaving a mark in history. Winners don’t do different things; they do things differently.
“My friend had talked to me that he had a dream to build a dialysis centre. This dialysis centre is one of the six major projects of the Lions Club. I can share with you that nothing gladdens my heart than that I see the project completed. I need this to be one of the state-of-the-art dialysis centre in the world.”
He pleaded with Nigerians to donate generously to the project.
Wife of the deceased, Chief Omolola Dada, described her late husband as one who was always driven by the desire to make the world better than he met it.
“Naturally, he found in the Lions Club International a good platform which would complement his huge personal contribution. His philanthropic gestures led him to join The Victoria Island Lions Club. He rose to become a zone and region chairperson, and chairperson of many district committees including Lions Day with the United Nations’ Lions International Convention,” she said.
Born on June 6, 1941 in Osogbo, Osun State, Dada was educated at the University of Indiana and University of Lagos. After a short career in teaching, he joined the federal civil service and became Director of Finance and Supplies in the Presidency and Director, Political Affairs. He was also an Executive Director with NAL Merchant Bank.
A co-founder of Anchria Investment and Securities Limited, Dada was on the board of many companies, including BUN Plc., Nigerian Wire & Cables Plc and Chairman of Great Nigeria Insurance Company Plc.
A member of several Chambers of Commerce and professional bodies, he was also
President of Institute of Directors of Nigeria, Member of Ekiti State Economic Council, Member of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, President, Nigerian-Spanish Association as well as Member Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria.