The oldest club in Rotary International District 9111, the Rotary Club of Ikeja will be installing Rotarian Olanrewaju Kuburat Lawal as its 58th President, on Sunday, at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.
Lawal, who joined the club in 2015 and had diligently served the club and District in different capacities, is a Chartered Accountant. She heads the Finance and Accounts Department of Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.
According to a statement by the Chairman of the Installation’s Media and Publicity Sub-Committee, Rotarian Segun Adebowale, the installation will also feature the induction of the club’s Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 Rotary Year, and project fundraising.
The installation ceremony will have the Managing Partner of Verraki Partners, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf as the Guest Speaker, while the Royal Father of the Day is the Onijale of Ijale Papa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Ajibola Babalola (Yalumo Korewolu III).
Lawal said that her board was committed to maintaining the tradition of excellence in the club as it has outlined projects in Rotary’s areas of focus in Peace Building and Conflict Prevention; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education and Literacy; Community Economic Development; and Protecting the Environment.
She said: ‘We have already begun some impactful projects. We had a microcredit scheme empowerment early this month for the market men and women of Obada Market, Isolo, where we gave loans to traders. Once repaid, the loans go to a new set of beneficiaries because it is a revolving scheme. We have been doing this for decades.
‘We also maintain a long-standing relationship with NAFOWA Vocational Training Centre and we always donate equipment to their graduates. This year, we provided sewing machines, hairdressing kits, and cooking equipment and we supported ten of their graduates.
‘I am proud to tell you that we were at their graduation yesterday and it gave us tremendous joy giving out this equipment to some graduates of the centre, all of whom we had never met before until yesterday and may not even meet for life. This is the beauty of being a Rotarian’.
On the star project for the year, the club President said: ‘Last year, our club donated a vocational building to Ikeja Junior High School. This year, we plan to equip it for skills training in barbing, electrical work, fashion design, catering, and more. This will help students acquire skills while still in school, empowering them for the future.
‘This July is the Maternal and Child Health Month, and we visited the Primary Health Centre, Ojodu some days ago. We engaged mothers on childcare best practices and donated baby formula and other essentials. We also plan to install a water-generating facility in a community soon. These are just a few of the projects for the Rotary year’.
