In spite of life’s challenges, service to humanity must continue –Odu-Okpeseyi, Lion’s Club district governor
By Josfyn Uba
Lion Lynda Odu-Okpeseyi is the governor of District 404A2 and the youngest female district governor in Nigeria.
She has acknowledged the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the economy, yet she is undeterred and committed to the big project ahead in her capacity as governor.
She plans to build an ultra-modern diabetes centre in Ogoja, Cross River State, where screening, treatment and advocacy can be carried out during her tenure.
In this interview, Odu-Okpeseyi told Daily Sun that, despite life’s many challenges, it is important for Nigerians to remember that service to humanity must continue, there are still people who need help, no matter how small it may be.
How do you feel being elected district governor of the seemingly largest district in Lions Club?
I am so excited. I have the desire to put in my best so that my district becomes the best in Nigeria. Nigeria has four districts. My predecessors have worked very hard. I now need to build on the past. That’s my dream for my district.
I am the third female of the 10 governors we have in my district. The first two governors for District 404A2 were females and we didn’t have any other female till now. I want to work hard and perform well. My theme is “Excellence through Service.” I want to achieve excellence in service delivery so that more women will be given the opportunity to serve as district governors in future.
Being a district governor for one state is a lot of work, but for 17 states could be overwhelming. How prepared are you for this role?
I have been prepared right from the time I was elected as the first female Leo district president for Nigeria but I didn’t know it was going to come this soon
The Leo Club is the youth wing of the Lions Club. I decided to contest as second vice-district governor and I won. The Lions Club has a structure: If you are going to become a district governor, you will start learning as a member of the DG-Team as second-vice and then you will go through trainings, including at the District Governor’s School, just before you assume the position. The association prefers you have a six months preparation period where you will be taught what to do and how you can become a successful district governor.
What projects are you going to work on and where will your focus be concentrated?
Lions Clubs has five major focus areas: diabetes, pediatric cancer, protecting the environment, relievinghHunger and sight preservation. For now, we are focused on advocacy and massive screening of diabetes. I plan on building a diabetes centre in Ogoja, Cross River State. It will be an ultra-modern facility where screening, treatment and advocacy can effectively be carried out. The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), under the aegis of the international office of Lions Clubs, is contributing money to enable us carry out this screening in all the 17 states and to build the centre.
Apart from the diabetes center, what other projects are you planning to implement?
While continuing with the diabetes project, we shall maintain our monthly designated activities.
The month of October is dedicated for sight; we intend to have free eye screening exercises and distribution of reading glasses and, thereafter, those who have been identified as needing cataract surgeries will have their surgeries done absolutely free.
We also have an ongoing campaign against indiscriminate dumping of refuse. We intend to create awareness in secondary schools so that pupils will learn early not to litter the environment. We plan on giving them good waste bins and train children to become Ambassadors for a clean environment. They will talk to their fellow students about the environment, on how they can dispose of refuse properly. We will organize essay competitions for all the schools in our district on a theme about the environment and the top five students will be given scholarships even if it is just for a session.
Still on the environment, we will focus also on parks and gardens, by providing trash cans and doing anything we can do to improve the ecosystem.
How do you intend to get funds for these projects?
We usually organise fund-raisings to encourage well-meaning individuals to donate. Our members also contribute and oftentimes people living with diabetes or their family members also key into the project by donating. We also have corporate partners who donate to our causes. Its important for us to save humanity in whatever capacity we find ourselves. The location is very strategic because in addition to Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, it will serve Benue, Enugu and Ebonyi states. Ogoja is strategically located. The centre will serve over seven local government areas from the central to the northern parts of Cross River State and the other mentioned states.
How did Lions Club mark June 5, World Environment Day?
A lot of clubs planted trees and there were trainings and lectures here and there. We had one in Calabar and Abuja. The clubs make up the district; so we have clubs in different locations carrying out different projects on the environment.
Is there any way you seek government’s participation in the activities of the club?
Absolutely, yes, the government and the club need each other. We cannot do the work all by ourselves. We need government participation and government also needs us as an extended hand to reach those it cannot reach. We complement government’s efforts. We need government’s support to pull through because, when government is in support of a particular project, it works well.
Are there peculiar opportunities one gets to enjoy as a Lion or is it just social get-together?
There is an innermost joy you get when you touch a life or just make someone smile. You could find someone who is hungry and is likely going to die of hunger and you give them something to sustain them. It is like you are their last hope and the person simply says “thank you and God bless you”
There is a project that is dear to my heart, the visitation to the leprosy colony. Women have a lot of clothes, bags, in our rooms and then we have these neighbours who do not have anything to wear. Let’s bring these clothes, wash and iron them then go and share them at the colony.
Lions Club allows you to show love, to affect somebody’s life positively. You don’t need any reward, the reward you will get from God you can’t quantify.
We also offer trainings. They are very life changing topics starting from mentoring to the art of time management which you will find useful in planning your life.
What does the Lion Year look like with regard to activities?
On August 28, I will be presented to the public as the district governor in Abuja on August 26 and 27. We will have an all-day training and a banquet for club presidents. On Saturday, August 28, we will have our first cabinet meeting and public presentation of the district governor will be that same evening. A public presentation is important when the governor will be presented along with all the things they need to carry out the project alongside fund raising ceremony.
In November, we will be having our second cabinet meeting in Enugu where all the Lions will access what we have done in the first half of the year. On February 9, 2022, we will have our district convention, tagged “Canaan 2021” in Calabar. The third cabinet meeting holds alongside the district convention.
In April, we will have our fourth cabinet meeting and awards night in Port Harcourt. On that day, we will appreciate all the Lions, club presidents, committee chairpersons, region and zone chairpersons with awards and recognitions.
Do you have some words of advice for us?
I want to encourage Nigerians that although COVID-19 has devastated businesses and the economy, a lot of people have lost their jobs, we shouldn’t lose faith but trust in God. Whatever is happening now is a phase, it will pass and things will get better. It is also important for us to keep in mind that humanity must be served, no matter how bad things are for us. There are still people who need our help and service to humanity must continue.
