By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Rotary International, District 9111, Ikeja, Lagos State has reiterated commitment towards providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing goodwill and peace among a fellowship of business, professional, and community developments, locally and globally.

District Governor, Dr. Wole Kukoyi, made the remark at a press conference on Wednesday to commemorate the 2025 Rotary Awareness Day, titled; “Rotary Information and Awareness Day,” held at Rotary Centre, Ikeja G.R.A, Lagos.

Kukoyi noted that Rotary International has significantly contributed to various areas of human endeavours through the Rotary Foundation.

“All the positive activities of Rotary International are organized into seven areas of focus: basic education and literacy, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, disease prevention and treatment, empowerment, water sanitation and hygiene, and environmental care. These initiatives aim to improve the quality of life for people around the world,” he stated.

According to Kokoyi, “District 9111 is in its inaugural year, having been officially inaugurated on July 1 of last year. We are making every effort to lay a solid foundation for this district, which is the awareness we are creating. We emerged from District 9110 as a result of continuous growth.”

Speaking on the district’s achievements, Kukoyi highlighted several projects across all seven focus areas, such as: construction, equipping, and furnishing of a world-class Sickle Cell Disease Center in Otta, a collaboration with Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, to provide scholarships for Nigerians from various educational backgrounds to study peace building and conflict prevention for three months.

He therefore, urged well-meaning Nigerians and other humanitarians to continue collaborating to ensure polio remains eradicated in Nigeria and, by extension, Africa.

“Since 1985, Rotary International has worked diligently alongside organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to eliminate polio from the region,” kukoyi stated.

He recalled that Rotary International was founded on February 23, 1905, by Paul Harris and three other businessmen in Chicago, Illinois.

The organization’s motto, “Service Above Self,” along with the phrase “One Profits Most Who Serves Best,” he said serves as the driving force that distinguishes Rotary from similar organizations.

“If individuals or governments genuinely practiced these principles—not just talked about them—the world would be a better place,” he asserted.

As Rotary International approaches its 120th anniversary next month, he urged members to contribute their resources and skills toward the development of the organization and its ideas.

In his address, Chairman, 2025 Rotary Information and Awareness Day Committee, Henry Akinbobola, explained that the objective of the day is to increase public understanding of the Rotary organization, its mission, and its activities.

He urged those interested in joining the organization to become involved in service activities and to support Rotary’s causes, such as eradicating polio and providing clean water and sanitation.

Akinbobola added that Rotary Club is seeking to unite business and professional leaders in providing humanitarian service.

He described Rotary Clubs as powerful agents for lasting change within communities and among individuals.