The Rotary Club of New Lagos, Ikeja, celebrated a momentous occasion with the successful Leadership Handover Fellowship on Wednesday 3rd July, 2024, at Happies Recreation, Ladoke Akintola Street, Ikeja GRA.
The esteemed event marked the transition of leadership from Rtn. Omolara Akinbami Ojo, PHF, to Rtn. Oluwa Enitan Sophie, PHF, in a ceremony held at Happies Recreation, Ladoke Akintola Street, G.R.A., Ikeja, Lagos.
The event was graced by Rotarian members both in-person and virtually, with diasporan members joining via Zoom. Outgoing HOPE President, Rtn. Omolara Ojo, also attended the event virtually as she was out of the country.
The highlight of the ceremony was the official declaration of Rtn. Oluwa Enitan Sophie as the new Magic President. Following the reading of her citation by Rtn. Kehinde Oluwakemi, the club secretary, Rtn. Enitan Sophie outlined her ambitious plans and projects for the coming year. These initiatives include: Providing basic reading aids for the visually impaired; Distributing hearing aids for the deaf and hard-of-hearing; Collaborating with SMEDAN to empower ex-convicts; Promoting menstrual hygiene; Addressing mental health issues
Engaging in youth service activities; Focusing on peacebuilding and conflict resolution; Enhancing basic education and literacy for persons with disabilities; Expanding international service; Supporting economic and community development; Advocacy and awareness initiatives.
This was what she said during her first official address as Magic President of the Rotary Club of New Lagos:
“I am familiar with everybody here and I can tell you that everybody here are doing things for humanity, but maybe jot in a structured manner. You will be surprised that those little visits to check up on people goes a long way, especially theses days when depression-related suicide is on the rise. Just calling to say “how are you doing?” and “hope you are good” can save somebody’s life knowing they are cared for. We have our ways which are structured here because Rotary International has a team that guides our actions from here. Theme for the last Rotary year was HOPE, but this year, we will be creating magic.
“I am the founder of NATINEEE and the purpose of NATINEE is to empower persons with disabilities, hence, I am bringing my wealth of experience into play to ensure that Persons with disabilities receive support.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about disability, so that is what we shall be focusing on during the magic year. It might interest you to know that we have over a hundred Rotary clubs in Lagos alone, and most of them just do things around. Now because many people don’t understand how to communicate with people with disabilities, it becomes difficult for them to accord then the true considerations they deserve.
“I will be focusing on this area because that is my constituency, that is the area I am most comfortable with, and because I have a broad knowledge and wealth of experience in working with them, so, we will be providing the deaf and partially deaf with hearing aids, Braille reading materials for those visually impaired. I also live with invisible disabilities. Those who know me well know this.
“We have adopted a school we will be working with around maryland and also Wesley School for the Deaf has reached out to me and we would be working with them. I am saying this because we would be reaching out to people for support, and the Ritary thing is that even if you are unable to do anything financially, you may know somebody who can assist us. The sixth person rule.
“We are going to be working on peace building and conflict resolution., Basic Education and Literacy for persons with disabilities,
” I will be circulating the list of the projects from time to time, so don’t be scared when you see it. It may seem like a lot but when broken down, it’s not much really.
“Another major area of.focus is Youth Service. I believe that youths are vulnerable because this is the stage where they take decisions that can make or.mar them. So we are looking at Mentorship for young people and we already six candidates for RYLA but hoping to get more.
“For our Economic and Community development, we will be working with low income traders who are vulnerable and need support this year. We are all aware of the economic downturn.
“We are also going to be visiting the Prisons as part of our project. We know the stigma attached to Prison and how even family members abandon such people, so, we ate partnering with SMEDAN; Small, Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, to train those who are nearing the completion of their jail terms in different skills required for businesses.
“Believe me, these ex-convicts do learn skills while in prison but startup capital is always the problem as even their relatives find it difficult assisting them.So, we will be working with them to empower them and aid their quick reintegration back into normal society because we cause more harm.when we stigmatise ex convicts. Walking on Lagos roads at night is not safe again and statistics show that it is as a result of many ex convicts that have reverted back to their old vices as well vulnerable people, hence, we need to support them in our own way to avert this tragedy.
“We will be doing a lot around Mental Health, and for our international service, we would be going to Ghana.
Of course, the service will not be complete without working on Menstrual.Hygiene. we will be working with a lot of young girls, women and girls with disabilities chiefly, but we will also feature mainstream.
“We would be commemorating the United Nations Special Days reserved for creating awareness on specific issues. On the 10th of October is World Mental Health day, when we can discuss Suicide. October 15th is Handwashing Day,. We will be going to schools to teach students the basic etiquette of handwashing so as to avaoid communicable diseases., while Hepatitis Day is this July 18, and I am sure the Lagos State Government has also declared July 14 for Tree Planting. We will be doing different activities to commemorate the days.
“Other days, we will be doing Advocacy, Awareness and carrying out .different projects. I need everyone’s support to make these happen. Thank you for your rapt attention.”
A special guest of honour, Mr. Kehinde Nubi, Rtn. Sophie’s former PTA chairman when she was still in school, and eventual “colleague” while at Law School, who also spoke to journalists on the night, extollied the good virtues of the Magic President and gave assurance of unprecedented accomplishments during her tenure.
The event also featured the adoption of Rotarian songs from the Rotarian songbook, adding a harmonious and unifying element to the celebration.
Rotarians who truly stood out in the thick of the fray are Rtn. Kehinde Oluwakemi (Secretary) Rtn Dosunmu Abiodun, Rtn. Engr. Adewale Owa (Magic President, Mende Midtown), Rotaractors Halimat Rafiu and Adeola. Some.of the notable guests who graced the prestigious occasion were Mrs. Ashamu Folake and Mr. Animashaun Femi.
The Rotary Club of New Lagos, Ikeja, looks forward to a year of impactful projects and community service under the dynamic leadership of Rtn. Oluwa Enitan Sophie, PHF.
