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By Christy Anyanwu
The incoming 2022/2023 president of Lagos Doyen Lions Club, Jude Obaro Onohwosa, has disclosed he will raise funds to assist the less privileged suffering from cataracts.
He said his project for the year is to raise funds towards 1,000 charity cataract surgical operations for the less privileged at N30,000 per surgery.
Onohwosa announced this during his installation and N30 million fundraising luncheon for cataract prevention, treatment and surgery by Lagos Doyen Lions Club (District 404 A1 Nigeria) at Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.
“We are raising N30 million for this project. The fundraising speaker today, Abiola Oyeleye, is the president of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria and with his support we have mobilised ophthalmologists who have agreed to carry out the surgeries for N30,000 per surgery,” he said.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to notable Nigerians, including Akintola Williams, Vincent Maduka and Olufemi Majekodunmi, who have served the club meritoriously.
Speaking with Daily Sun at the event, Ano Anyanwu, governor of District 404 A1 Nigeria, said the award was given to them to recognise their service to Lionism and to encourage other people to do so, and for young people to know that distinguished people are members of Lions Club.
Anyanwu said Pa Williams was the oldest Lion in the world, at 104 years old.
“He was the only member of Lions Club when it was founded in Nigeria in 1964. He is the doyen of Lionism in Nigeria and every other person in the club then were ‘oyinbos’.
“He was the only Nigerian in the club and he is here with us today, he came personally to receive his award. The award we are giving him is Distinguished Lion Recognition Award. It is to recognise his service to Lionism since 1964 when he helped to bring Lionism to Nigeria.”
Also, Maduka, who was the general manager of WNTV in the 1960s and the pioneer director-general of Nigeria Television Authority, was awarded for his selfless contributions to Multiple District 404 Nigeria in general and District 404 A1.
Maduka is in his late 80s but is still very active serving humanity.
Majekodunmi, who in also his 80s, has served Lionism in many ways.
“These were the people who established the first Lions motherless babies’ home in Lekki, singlehandedly, for Lions movement,” Anyanwu said.
Anyanwu, who said cataract has become a plague in the society with multiplying effects, emphasised that vision is one out of the five focus areas where the club is reaching out to the community.
“When older people suffer cataract and get blind, there’s a double tragedy in the family because younger persons are forced to stay home and out of school to be leading the blind person around,” Anyanwu said.
Onohwosa, in his acceptance speech, said he was honoured and humbled to be elected the 57th president of Lagos Doyen Lions Club, and he’s very much aware of the enormous responsibilities and expectations of the position.
