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In a society where the needs of vulnerable people often appear to outpace the resources available to meet them, the call for individuals, organisations and governments to deepen their commitment to humanitarian service has assumed renewed urgency.
For the Eko Centennial Lions Club, however, giving is more than an occasional gesture of charity. It is a responsibility to humanity and a practical expression of compassion.
The President of the club, Femi Ilariogun, made this position clear when he led members of the organisation to the Lagos State Rehabilitation and Training Centre, Owutu, Agric, Ikorodu, where they donated relief materials to inmates of the centre.
The gesture, according to Ilariogun, was driven by the belief that improving the lives of vulnerable people should not be left exclusively to government.
He appealed to affluent Nigerians, corporate organisations and other well-meaning citizens to deploy their resources towards humanitarian causes, stressing that those who have the means have a responsibility to extend a helping hand to people struggling to meet their basic needs.
“Kindness is free, let’s give it; it is only when we give that we get more. Giving is living. If God has raised our standards of living, let’s raise the standards of our giving,” he said.
For Ilariogun, humanitarian service is not measured by the size of a person’s bank account, but by the willingness to make a difference in the life of another person.
He therefore urged wealthy Nigerians to identify with Lions Club International and support its humanitarian initiatives, noting that the organisation provides a platform for individuals to channel their resources, time and compassion towards communities and people in need.
“There are so many needy people seeking our help; we should rise up to help. Ours is a commitment to humanitarian services in our communities. We are passionate about the causes of the less privileged and the commoners in our communities,” he said.
He also challenged the three tiers of government to strengthen policies and programmes designed to improve the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians, maintaining that sustainable humanitarian intervention requires collaboration between government, civil society, private organisations and individuals.
Beyond the call for wealthy Nigerians to give, Ilariogun also sought to dispel the perception that membership of Lions Club International is restricted to millionaires.
According to him, the essence of Lions service is the willingness to give and serve humanity, regardless of one’s financial status.
“Anyone who can afford to buy a bottle of soft drink and share it among people is qualified to be a member of the club,” he said.
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The message was reinforced by the club’s Service Chairperson, Monsuru Yinusa, who described the donation to the rehabilitation centre as a modest contribution towards complementing the intervention of the Lagos State Government.
Yinusa said the club recognised the importance of supporting institutions responsible for caring for vulnerable members of society, adding that the materials donated were intended to improve the welfare of the inmates and make the task of rehabilitation less burdensome.
“The items we brought are our humble effort to support the state government in the running of this centre. It is our way of expressing our support to the government and helping the less privileged in society.
“Whenever there is a need, there must be a Lions Club,” he said.
The significance of such interventions extends beyond the material value of the items donated. For people undergoing rehabilitation and training, the knowledge that members of society remember and care about them can be an important part of restoring dignity, confidence and hope.
Receiving the relief materials on behalf of the inmates, an official of the Lagos State Rehabilitation and Training Centre, Owutu, Agric, Ikorodu, Mr Shobajo Olayiwola, expressed appreciation to the Eko Centennial Lions Club for remembering the centre and its inmates.
Olayiwola commended the club for its intervention and appealed for sustained support from the organisation, corporate bodies, charitable groups and other philanthropic individuals.
He noted that continued assistance from non-governmental organisations and well-meaning Nigerians would complement government efforts and contribute significantly to improving the welfare, rehabilitation and reintegration of people at the centre.
The Eko Centennial Lions Club’s intervention therefore represents more than a donation. It is a reminder that the responsibility of building a compassionate society is collective.
At a time when vulnerable Nigerians continue to depend on government and private intervention, the club’s message is simple but profound: those who have the capacity to give should not wait until they have everything before reaching out to those who have little.
For Ilariogun and his fellow Lions, service is not about wealth or status. It is about humanity.
And in the words of the club’s president, “giving is living.”
