Follow Us on Google
By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Rotary Club of Anthony Golden has officially installed communications professional and advertising/marketing expert, Olufikayo Ogundairo, as its 6th president at a colourful handover ceremony held on August 24.
Ogundairo, who took over from Chidi Ogu, announced that the club had earmarked N20 million for life-changing projects targeting underserved communities in Anthony and surrounding areas of Lagos State. He will steer the affairs of the club for the 2025/2026 Rotary Year, spanning July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
The event, which held at Ogudu Fish Farm, was graced by the District Governor of District 9112, Lanre Adedoyin; immediate past District Governor, Femi Adenekan,m; past District Governor Bola Oyebade; Oba Suleiman Oloko, the Oniwaya of Iwaya kingdom; Olori Bernitha Agboge, Mazi Kelechi Nwosu as well as distinguished Rotarians, Rotaractors, interactors, business leaders and community stakeholders.
Citations were also presented to deserving members for their dedication, loyalty, and selfless contributions to the club.
In his acceptance speech, Ogundairo expressed gratitude to members for entrusting him with leadership and pledged to build on the legacies of his predecessor. He described his vision as one anchored on service, unity and impactful community development.
“This is the year of the united team. We are driven by collective effort, shared passion and strong bonds. That’s how we will make a difference in our communities,” he said.
According to him, the 2025/2026 Rotary Year will focus on collaboration, fellowship, and executing projects in maternal and child health, water and sanitation, environmental protection, community development and disease prevention.
The club also plans to support education by promoting digital and literacy skills through seminars and school donations. Health interventions will include distributing birth kits to expectant and nursing mothers at Mende Primary Health Centre, alongside “Pad the Girls,” an initiative that provides free sanitary pads to teenage girls.
Speaking at the event, Adedoyin highlighted August as Rotary’s Membership Development Month and urged members to intensify efforts to grow the club’s membership base.
Oyebade encouraged the club to contribute to the Rotary Foundation, stressing that donations were vital for sustaining humanitarian projects.
Chairman of the occasion, Mazi Nwosu, commended Rotary as a service organization that has made significant contributions to society, noting that even the federal government recognizes its impact.
He urged the new leadership team to expand its reach, scale up projects, and remain steadfast in serving humanity. “Every day offers fresh opportunities to learn, grow, and embrace new challenges while serving society. It sharpens us as leaders and strengthens our resolve to give more,” he said.
Adedoyin also charged Ogundairo to continue driving meaningful change and mobilizing collective efforts for greater impact.
Ogu, during his valedictory speech, highlighted the projects embarked upon by the club during his tenure. He stated that his predecessor had laid a strong foundation, which enabled him to accomplish these feats.
He said: “We embarked on laudable projects that were impactful and transformative for society. We made a significant mark as a club through our maternal and child health project.
“We donated birth kits to nursing and expectant mothers and held sensitization health talks for pregnant women at Mende. Additionally, we donated sanitary pads to adolescent girls.
“Under the Basic Education and Literacy project, we organized a seminar on digital and social media usage for young learners. In the vocational service area, we recognized and empowered three outstanding officers from LASTMA and the police.
“Our star project was the construction of a borehole water facility, which was commissioned by the Immediate past district governor, Femi Adenekan, in the presence of community and traditional leaders. This project not only met the community’s need but also strengthened the bond between Rotary and the community it serves.
“These efforts were crowned with recognition and an award of excellence, as our club was named the third-best club in service projects, receiving a citation of excellence from Rotary International.”
