Rotary Director General Abidoye commends Ikoyi Metro’s $36,000 donation to eradicate polio

The recent donation of $36,000 by Rotary Club of Ikoyi Metro to checkmate polio in Nigeria has received commendation from Rotarian Layi Abidoye, District Governor of Rotary International District 9112.

He made the commendation recently when he visited the club. During the visit, Abidoye reviewed the club’s workbook, examined its achievements from the previous Rotary year and discussed its plans for the months ahead.

He also commended the club’s leadership and the unity members displayed while walking him through their records. His visit came three days after his own installation as the third Governor of Rotary International District 9112, succeeding Rotarian Lanre Adedoyin.

Assistant Governor Laurine Ubanozie, who chaired the DG Visit Planning Committee and also serves as the club’s Learning Facilitator and Sergeant at Arms, described the visit as a good development. Ubanozie is a past president of Rotary Club of Ikoyi Metro and currently sits as Vice Chairman of the District’s Awards and Recognition Committee.

“I rate this year’s DG visit ninety percent, to be fair to myself,” Ubanozie said in a statement.

Immediate Past President Alex Chukwu offered a fuller account of the club’s recent record. Speaking on the global recognition secured during his tenure, Chukwu shared the credit with the wider membership.

“I feel elated that the global and district recognitions the club received happened during my tenure,” Chukwu said. “But this is not about me alone. I worked with people and only provided the leadership required, and I was able to motivate people to get the desired result.”

Chukwu gave figures behind that recognition. “In an assessment of over ninety clubs across ten major categories, Ikoyi Metro came first in seven and second in two,” he said. “We are also the club with the highest donation to Polio Plus, giving US$36,000, and I personally emerged the highest individual donor.”

Asked how the club achieved the feat, Chukwu pointed to consistency rather than shortcuts. “There was no magic formula, only intentionality,” he said. “At the start of the year, our public image director, Rotarian Toyin Ojo, told me she wanted the club to come first in public image. She worked towards it and achieved it.”

Past District Governor Ify Ejezie, a member of the club, called the outcome a source of pride.

“I am elated that our club came best overall in the last Rotary year, and glad the District Governor and his team were able to visit us,” Ejezie said.

“We did not let him down. We stayed true to our slogan, the Pride of Rotary, and I am confident we will repeat the feat, if not surpass it, this Rotary year.”

Club President Emeka Nwosu described the visit as a marker for the year ahead.

“Today is significant, as we have started the new Rotary year with an impactful visit from our District Governor, Layi Abidoye, in line with Rotary’s ethics and standards,” Nwosu said.