The maxim one good turn deserves another played out at Ikorodu Lagos State Nigeria on Saturday September 14, 2024 as friends and families showed solidarity support at the investiture of Lion (Engr) Oluwole Olabode, MJF, NLCF who was installed as the 43rd President of Ikorodu Doyen Lions Club, District 404 A3 Nigeria.
According to various speakers at the event, the antecedents of Lion Oluwole from his days at St Joseph College SJC, University of Lagos, his community and Club culminated in why rank and files came out to honour and support him as he assumes the new portfolio.
Rt. Hon Olamide Oladiji, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Chief Dele Alimi DG. Directors Institute of Nigeria, Engr (Dr) Femi Alao (Fnse) Group Chairman FBS Engineering, ably represented by Engr Charles Osuntuyi, High Chief Akinseye Stella, The Sasere Lobun of Ondo Kingdom, Lion (Engr) PID HOB Lawal Member of Board of Trustee of Lions International and Past International Director of the Club, who is also the 1st President of Ikorodu Doyen were among the dignitaries that graced and donated to support the humanitarian projects of the new President.
Rt. Hon Olamide Oladiji the speaker of Ondo state house assembly said he has witnessed several activities of Lions club in touching the lives of the people, that he is glad to honour his secondary school classmate and childhood friend that has been elevated as the new President.
In an interview with journalists at the event, he said; “Ikorodu Doyen Lions club had so many programs they have been doing. I want to advise them to continue in that excellent direction. The President is my friend and classmate in secondary school. I am here to honour him.
“I don’t have any doubt regarding his capacity, I don’t have any doubt regarding his strive, he will be able to sustain the legacy of the club, he is going to take the club to a greater height”.
The speaker urged participants not to completely rely on government, he said we should look at what we can do for ourselves because little drops of water make the mighty ocean.
Dr Wale Adeniranye who is also an old student of St Joseph college, Ondo state in an interview with journalists at the event expressed his feelings of having his best friend emerged as the President of an international club. In his words, he said;
“We were classmates over forty years ago, it is such a pleasant thing that your classmate is being installed as the President of an international club. Ikorodu Doyen Lions club.
“It is a sense of accomplishment that your classmate has achieved this status in life. One of the things we used to tell ourselves which is missing now is the fact that public school education in Nigeria has been a melting point for everybody.
“I have no doubt that he will achieve a lot. He was a beneficiary of the benevolence of the Lions club. From that standpoint, he is going to make meaningful contribution to the goals and objectives of the club. He knows where he is coming from”, he said.
The immediate past president of 404A3 Ikorodu Doyen Lions Club, Lion Temitayo Alaba Odubanjo expressed his feeling as he handed over to the new president.
In his words, he said; “I feel so great because it hasn’t being easy. Most especially due to this economic meltdown. We thank God we are able to meet up the needs of the less privileged in our society during my service year. We don’t have any support from the government, but through the immense support by our members, we were able to touch lives. Most of us are pensioners, we still try as much as possible to do our intervention.
“I wish the new President a successful tenure as he kick-starts making lasting impact in the lives of people”.
The District Governor of district 404A3 Nigeria Lion (Dr) Folasade Shotomide in a separate Interview at the event gave an overview of the operations of lions club.
In her words, she said; “Today is a special day, a day where we meet with people in our own community, in our society to raise fund for the betterment of our neighbors. With Lions club, integrity comes first. When you listen to our code of ethics, we preach integrity.
“We often tell our members to be upright and ensure that they put integrity on the front burner. There is a quarterly report that each club is expected to give. There is also a yearly report that we give.
“You give account of your stewardship when you are going. One important thing is this, as a club we operate two accounts. One account is called the administrative account, the second account is called project account. The administrative account is where the dues individual members pay goes into.
“This administrative account is what we used to run all activities of an administration. Like the halls for meetings, the times you entertain guest, when they comenfor meetings. The support we give to members maybe welfare when there is a certain time to celebrate.
“Project account or activity account is where all the donations that will be collected today will go.
“The money collected here today is to support those projects, to support humanity . It is from this we do the eye screening, from it we feed the hungry, it is from it we carry out awareness on diabetes or screening. It is from it that we also support those with childhood cancer.
“There are signatory to our account who will sign the month cheque for you to withdraw the cash. When you do it, you show pictures or videos that you have done so so and so.
“You can’t collect hundred thousand naira and show us a carton of indomie or any noodles, so there is accountability. Lion club teaches us to be topnotch and Integrity counts”.
The newly installed President Lion ( Engr) Oluwole Olabode MJF, NLCF appreciated friends and colleagues who came from far and near to honour him. He charged participants and Nigerians to contribute their quota to the development of their community in their little way, saying little drops of water makes the mighty ocean.
Other Dignitaries at the event are Olori Ebi of Osuntuyi Family, Mrs Oluwole Theresa who also doubles as the mother of the new president Past District Governor Ayodele Ajayi, Past Council Chairman Kola Oyekanmi 3rd Vice District Governor Efunkomaya, Past Presidents and members of the Club, Hon. Basiru Oluwole ( Vice Chairman Ondo West LG) Mr Tunde Apena, Engr Abiodun Ojo , Mr Ope Gbakinro, Lion Leaders, Wife of the President Mrs Oluwole Edileola , family members, friends and associates Leos and other Lion members all participated and donated at the investiture of their ‘own’.
