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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The newly installed president of the Rotary Club of Anthony Golden, Gabriel Aye, has highlighted a few areas of focus and priorities for this service year, 2023/2024, while promising greater impact and increased participation for the Rotary year.
Speaking during his investiture/installation ceremony as the 4th President of the Rotary Club of Anthony Golden, Aye said that although the new team of office bearers has already done a great start this “Hope” year, standing up to the huge responsibility entrusted upon them to serve humanity, the club was determined to increase its impact and expand its reach through participation in various projects.
He said: “Every day has been a great day full of learning and allows us to shape to face new exciting challenges on the way while serving society, which helps us to sharpen and improve our skills as a leaders.”
He identified the areas the funds generated would be deployed into, including peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention/ treatment and water/sanitation. Others are maternal and child health, basic education and literacy as well as economic and community development.
Aye’s official presidential investiture was conducted by the District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110, Nigeria, Ifeyinwa Ejezie.
Meanwhile, the District Governor at congratulated the club on the grandiose ceremony and its achievements, adding that the investiture ceremony should be a catalyst for the delivery of projects that have been outlined.
Ejezie described Rotary as a platform through which humanitarian activities are projected. She encouraged members of the club to uphold the virtues of service and selflessness.
“We live in a world where inequality, poverty resulting from unemployment, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and health challenges have become the order of the day. Government, over the years, have not been able to take full control and put the challenges under control. This is why Rotary has always come in to fill in the gap,” she said.
In his inaugural speech, Aye gave a breakdown of the projects he planned to execute in collaboration with the club’s new board of directors.
He revealed at the investiture ceremony that the projects outlined for the new year are worth millions.
He said, as a humanitarian service organization, Rotary is ever committed to creating hope for humanity through its dedicated seven areas of focus.
Aye noted that though a Rotarian president or office bearer’s daily life was extremely busy, coupled with official commitments, which makes rotary works demand a good amount of time and commitment, he promised that the club is determined to use a public image to increase public understanding of Rotary’s work and attract like-minded people, corporates to do bigger projects to serve humanity and protect the environment.
He said: “To be a leader, you have to have a lot of experience. I have been a Rotarian for the past few years and I have served in various capacities. So I have in dept knowledge of Rotary, how to execute service projects and how to take the Rotary works ahead.”
He made mention of several projects the club has executed to impact lives and transform the community. The most recent, he said was maternal healthcare.
‘’I have already hit the ground running, even before this investiture ceremony commenced. There is more work to be done,’’ he said and appealed for more support so the club can carry out more projects in other areas.
To achieve the rotary fundraising target proposed for charity projects in the new rotary year, the president said the club hopes to raise an estimated amount through voluntary donations from corporate organizations and some generously spirited individuals.
Chairman of the installation committee, Chidi Ogu, said: “The 4th president is here to achieve the goal of rotary which is to serve humanity.
“With the help and support of the new board members and fellow club members, the president will do his best to meet the expectations they have all collectively set out to achieve.
“Our club has been built on a strong leadership foundation, and we have a membership that is fully committed to the rotary ideal of ‘service above self.’
“Members have shown their confidence in the president before he was elected and anticipate he would serve diligently.
“Also, the club has impacted its community to the fullest in the past and it’s still doing it. Our impact have been felt through so many projects.”
The former president, Adejimi Babatunde-Olubanjo, thanked members for their support during his tenure and urged rotarians to support the new exco.
Olubanjo reassured the club that the new president has unalloyed commitment and loyalty to the club and its ideals, hoping to be guided at all times by the object of rotary and the 4-Way Test.
