Rotary delivers classroom block, books to Okota Police Children’s School, inducts new members

By Sunday Ani

Rotary Club of Greenfield, Okota, Isolo, Lagos State, on Thursday donated a block of classrooms and books to the Police Children’s School, Okota.

The event which attracted Rotarians across Lagos, including the District Governor (DG), Prince Henry Akinyele and past District Governor, Omotunde Lawson, among other guests, saw the elated pupils of the school and their teachers, presenting a series of short dramas to celebrate the Club for the kind and patriotic gesture.

The Club equally used the occasion to induct four new members into the club and also gift the school a giant mobile waste bin.

In his opening remarks, President of the Club, Bonny Ogirri narrated all the circumstances that led to the erection of the new structure instead of adding to the existing buildings, describing the completion of the project as a testimony. He thanked his fellow Rotarians for their support.

“This has been my dream. Four years ago, we adopted this school to partner with it in all aspects. Apart from renovating the existing buildings in the school, I listened to the advice of our DG, who suggested that we should do a project that will outlive us as a club.

“That statement dropped in my soul and it went down deep. So, right from the era of Nnanna Achugo, I told him we will do this project but it was late into his tenure. So, we couldn’t start it under him but when I became president, I had to start it and thank God, we now have a new block of classrooms standing here today and ready to be commissioned,” he said.

He eulogized the philanthropic spirit of his members, saying, “I have the best Rotary Board in District 9111; members of Rotary Club of Greenfield are givers. They support you even when you do not ask.” He singled out a Rotarian who supported him with N500,000 even when the project had not taken off, saying that singular gesture ignited the spirit in him to take on the project. He also said his determination to start and finish the project before the end of his tenure was sequel to a charge from the DG that the project must be completed and commissioned this year.

Also speaking before he commissioned the project, the DG expressed his pleasure to be a part of the occasion and reaffirmed his pride as a member of Rotary Club.

He said he was happy that the advice he gave to the Club some nine months ago was taken seriously. He thanked Ogirri and his members for the speed with which the project was handled from the beginning to completion.

“When I came here some nine months ago to lay the foundation of this project, I gave the president a charge that this project must be completed before the end of this Rotary year. Rotary year is from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

“I thank you for the speed and what you have been able to do. This is not just a structure. It represents a centre, where the next generation of leaders are produced. It has given hope and

opportunities to the pupils.

“I thank all the donors and all the partners. I thank the police community for making everything easy; the bottlenecks were not there.

We thank them for giving Rotary the opportunity to do what it believes in doing.

“This is just the beginning. This has become a Rotary village. We can also have a playground here and we will have more, so I congratulate you, the head teacher,” he said.

He promised that the Club would still do more things for the school, “Not because we are millionaires or billionaires but because we believe in helping others. Rotary remains the leading organization in the world. It is good. We have our businesses but we still sacrifice

our little time to help humanity,”

Commissioning the project, he said: “I hereby commission the building for the use of these children, and of course the police community, to the glory of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

After inducting the new members, he enjoined them to wear the Club’s badge with pride and integrity at all times as it symbolizes honesty, reliability and dependability. “I welcome you to the world of Rotary,” he added.

Presenting the book, he said: “On behalf of the president and members of the RC of Greenfield, we have not only donated this block of classrooms to you but also these books. Please, we want you to share the books to the children, if possible, today so they can take them home. You can keep them in the school library but they are meant to be

given to the children, thank you very much.”

Responding, the Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Salako Adenike, thanked the Club for the gesture, noting that the building would provide a more conducive environment for the children and motivate both staff and learners towards academic excellence. “We sincerely appreciate the RC of Greenfield for this gesture. I thank Ogirri. He was always ready to encourage us and he gave us a listening ear at all times. He devoted his time to this project as if it was so urgent. I thank the project coordinator, all the members of the RC of Greenfield and everybody that has been a part of this laudable project. May God continue to bless you all,” she said.