Lagos New Emerald Lions Club installs new President

By Ifeanyi Eduzor
Lion Ayomide Babatunde Olayiwola has been installed as the 3rd President of Lagos New Emerald Lions Club, District 404B2.
Speaking at his installation with other officers that will pilot the affairs of the club for the 2022/2023 Lions service year, the immediate past President of the club Lion Awoderu Babajide expressed appreciation to members of the club for not only giving him the opportunity to serve as the club’s 2nd President but for their immense support that led to great impact in service activities, sustaining membership strenght, attendance to district events and embarking on Legacy projects with an appeal to members to give his successor the same level of support that will enable him sustain and surpass the successes achieved by his team
Giving his score card for the 2021/2022 Lions service year, the outgoing President explained that the club under his leadership, served more than 10,000 individuals at various communities through planting of trees at 2 primary schools in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state, teenage empowerment at Hozanam Home Agidingbi in partnership with Ikeja Exclusive Lions Club, literacy awareness and donation of writing materials at Police College Primary school, Ikeja in partnership with Ikeja Golden Lions Club, health mission 2.0; free diabetes, malaria and HBP screening and donation of 200 eye glasses, anti- diabetic, hypertensive and malaria drugs at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan Oyo state and Online awareness on prevention and management of cataract and preventable blindness.
He also disclosed that the club under his watch organised feeding the hungry at Sabo market, Ile- Ife, Osun state, donation of food materials, writing materials and toiletries at Pro Labore Dei, Ijebu Mushin as well as drilling of borehole and storage tank at Igode Olota, off Adamo Bus stop. Ikorodu.
On membership strenght, he noted that out of the 29 members who initially registered, 9 where not forthcoming financially nor active in attendance but expressed happiness that with painstaking effort by active members, they have been replaced with 10 active members noting that 31 members are now financially up to date
Lion Babajide while announcing that the club during his tenure participated at every district programs was full of gratitude for the support he recieved from members and was most grateful to his Vice Presidents; Lions Olayiwola Ayomide and Giwa Damilola, the District Governor, Lion Kayode Osinuga and their sponsor Lions Club, Ikeja Dynamic Model Lions Club for their support.
In his goodwill message, the District Governor, Lion Aare Lekan Owolabi MJF, NLCF congratulated the new President on his election, reminding him that his emergence as the Chief
Executive Officer of the club is a clear demonstration of the confidence his members reposed on him to lead and make a difference.
“The office of the President of a Lions Club is very important and challenging because the growth of the association depends greatly on clubs. To whom much is given, much is expected. I therefore have no doubt in my mind that with your commitment, passion, dedication and the support of your members, you will continue to consolidate on the good works of your predecessors.
“You are expected to focus on Lions International Core Service Areas; vision, diabetes, paediatric cancer, hunger and environment.
“You were installed on Sunday, 28th of August, 2022 during the District Governor presentation. Today’s event is to present you to the public as a Club President, install other Club Officers for 2022/2023 Lions Service Year and also raise funds for your club activities and projects” the District Governor said.
He reminded him of this year’s theme which is ‘Service Redefined’, urging him and his members to continue to redefine service to improve the impact in their immediate environment and create values to members just as he urged him to work towards achieving his set goals for the year as well as work with his team to take the club to a higher level.
In his acceptance speech, Lion Ayomide Babatunde Olayiwola noted that at the beginning of this Lions year, the club came up with the slogan “Building the spirit of service” as a tool to redefining service in order to make a greater impact in line with the vision of the District Governor and they have imbibed this in all including new members to foster on friendship and unity in order to work as a team in actualizing their goal.
He noted that Lagos New Emerald Lions Club comprised of vibrant young professionals who are committed to contributing passionately their resources , time and talents to making the world a better place positing that majority of their members are past Leo’s who have served in the Leo programme for many years.
The new President while appreciating all that made his election possible, promised not to disappoint the club but to work towards surpassing the achiement of his predecessors.
According to him since the beginning of the Lions service year on July 1st , 2022, they have conducted some service activities as a club with passion to serve the community better and in line with the vision of lions clubs international and such services includes; training of club officers on their responsibilities where facilitators were invited online diabetes awareness where over 1000 persons where attended to in July alone, trees planting at a secondary school at Agbowo, Ibadan, donation of big waste bin to Moniya Primary Health Centre, Ibadan, joint mega project (Distribution of school bags/ other writing materials to Estate Primary school, Iba, Lagos to mark world literacy day) and donation
of bedspreads and paediatric cancer awareness at children’s ward, General Hospital, Igando , Lagos.
The new President also stated that they still have lots of service activities in stock as part of the vision of the club which includes; annual health mission 3.0 which will involve diabetes screening, eye screening and treatment , donation of eye glasses, feeding the hunger project while noting that the club’s Legacy project this year is to refurbish and re- equip Primary Health Centre in Lagos state which work is expected to start any moment from now.