Rotarian OLUBUNMI OGUNTADE Takes Up New Role

Rotarian OLUBUNMI OGUNTADE Takes Up New Role

• As The 40th President Of Rotary Club Of GBAGADA

The Rotary Club of Gbagada has a new President now. On Sunday 1st October, 2023. Mrs. Olubunmi Oyinlola Oguntade (nee Williams) took over from Rotarian (Sir) Alozie Nsirimobi. Her investiture took place at the Yoruba Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos. It was an impressive event attended by many distinguished Nigerians. This beautiful lady was born into the family of late Mr & Mrs Alfred Abiodun Williams of Olowogbowo area in Lagos State.

Olubunmi attended African Church Princess Girls School in Abule Oja, and Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School where she obtained her School Certificate, she thereafter went to Lagos State

Polytechnic, Isolo where she graduated with Upper Credit in Higher National Diploma. She later went to Lagos State University for a Masters Degree in Marketing. Olubunmi also had a Postgraduate Diploma in Credit Administration. (NICA).

She has garnered over 20 years of cognate work experience in her chosen field of endeavor through intensive and unrelenting hard work. She started her banking career with a small community Bank (Shomolu Community Bank), worked with Personal Trust Savings and Loans, and subsequently with EIB International Bank/SkyeBank ( now Polaris Bank), she resigned to join ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED in 2008 as the Head of Customer Service Head Office branch. Olubunmi has worked in several units in her banking career. She is presently the Regional Operation Manager, Lagos Mainland/lkeja.

She is a committed member of Ikoyi Baptist Church. Apart from spiritual upliftment, she has at various times occupied some trusted roles in her church such as Assistant Chief Usher, Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer, and presently Assistant Finance Chairman. lnall the roles, she performed meritoriously.

Living to her passion for humanitarian service, Olubunmi joined the Rotary Club in 2006/2007 and has remained an active and committed member of Rotary whose mission is ‘Service to Humanity’. She has to her credit, excellent performance during her tenure as the Club’s Treasurer, Membership Chairman, and Chairman ofthe History and Archive of this Club. Creditableachievements were recorded during her holding the various offices mentioned.

She has participated in various Rotary training programmes including Rotary Leadership Training and has attended several Rotary International Conventions. She and her husband (PAG Bayo Oguntade) are Major Donors to the Rotary Foundation. Olubunmi is a natural giver and has empowered several people by sponsoring their formal educational pursuits and vocational training.

She is also a member ofthe prestigious Ikoyi Club 1936, and the Acting President of ROGA 86 Set (Regan Memorial Baptist Girls Old Student)A passionate mother and lover of humanity, she took over from Sir Nsirimobi.

In the Valedictory speech of the outgoing President, he said about this time, every year, we call you, our distinguished family and friends, to tell you what we have done with your donations of the previous year, and also, our plans for the new Rotary year. This is because we see you as our partners in this business of service to humanity and do not wish to take you for granted.”

“The Rotary Presidential Theme for last Rotary year was IMAGINE ROTARY. The RI President, Rotarian, Jennifer Jones, now IRIP, urged Rotarians to, “Imagine a world that deserves our best, where we get up each day knowing that we can make a difference”.YOU DON’T IMAGINE YESTERDAY. YOU ONLY IMAGINE TOMORROW, she stated. Rotarians caught the bug. Rotary Club of Gbagada put their right foot forward to dream big as usual and harness the connections and power of Rotary to turn their dreams to reality and with family members, friends and corporate entities like you a lot was achieved in our quest to serve humanity better.”

“Our Club witnessed a 15% growth in membership as 20 distinguished members joined our club in 2022-2023. We delisted 4 for change of abode, jacking our membership strength from 134 to a record height of 150. A net gain of 16 members.

“On new Club development, we are proud of the growth and development of our latest Chartered Club, the Rotary Club of Ikenne Ereke, Ikenne, Ogun State.

“It is on record that, we chartered some interact clubs like Interact clubs of Ifako Comprehensive School, Gbagada; Excellence Foundation College, Agidingbi, Ogba; Omotayo College that we inherited from RC PH Airfield.”

“We executed lots of projects in this area with a view to developing the Youths, ranging from partnering with the District in the Vaccination of over 343 girls against Cervical Cancer, Immunization of over 145 children in the Polio Eradication Program, the “Hearing for Learning” program that provided Hearing Aids to over 330 students of the Wesley School of Hearing Impaired, the Provision of 10-Unit toilet facility for Anthony Nursery/Primary School, Anthony Village, Ajao Estate, with a population of 478 pupils and sanitary towels for more than 67 girls, retaining our club’s 39 years tradition of sponsoring the education of 3 students from the S0S Village, Isolo and sponsorship of schools debates, amongst others.

Let’s  tell you more about the Rotary Club of Gbagada which was chartered as a club by Rotary International on 27th February 1984. The charter presentation was held thereafter with pomp and pageantry at Federal Palace Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos on May 8 1984. Prior to its charter, the club, which was sponsored by Rotary Club of lIupeju had met for several months from November 1983, as a provisional Club, at the residence of the Charter President, Rotarian Gabriel Adeuga-Taiwo. The meeting venue was eventually shifted to the Graz Hotel (NOW Sherlaton Hotel), Anthony village, Lagos.

It is worthy of mention that members of Rotary Club of Ilupeju were helpful at the planning stage by giving the necessary Rotary information, recruitment drive and sharing fellowship with members of the fledging Club. PDG Banjo Solaru, of blessed memory and Rotarian Sam Onabanjo, who were the President and secretary respectively of the sponsoring Club transferred their membership to Gbagada while others attended the provisional Club meeting on regular basis. It is on record that the following Rotarians from various Clubs, shared fellowship with the provisional Club. From Rotary Club of lIupeju were – PDG Ade Adefeso, Gilbert George, Bayo Oguneye, Taiwo Koya, Tuyi Fabiyi, Sina Buraimoh-Ademuyewo and Awopetu; while PDG Babs Ajayi came from Lagos, PDG Lekan Ogundimu from Ikeja and from Maiduguri.

Members of Rotary Club of lIupeju who transferred their membership to Gbagada include Late Otunba Adenuga-Taiwo, Olusijola, Late Dele Okuwa, Yomi Adewunmi, Demola Ogundalu, Late I. O. Ajijola, Late Otunba Tunde Demuren and Late Niyi Ajenifuja.

With the calibre of committed Rotarians, visiting the provisional Club, to provide the necessary Rotary information and help entrench Rotary decorum, the Club was set to start its journey on a strong platform.

Rotary Club of Gbagada is a member of Rotary International. The Club was chartered on February 27, 1984. Key information about the dub are as follows;

Sponsoring Club: Rotary Club of lIupeju, Charter Date-February 27, 1984, District Number-9110, Charter No-22810, Club ID No-216311, Charter President’-G. O. Adenuga – Taiwo (Late)

Till date, the club has been able to make recognizable achievements as follows: •Execution of landscape project at Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos. •Beautification ofthe vicinity and drive-in of Gbagada Hospital. •Donation of a 25 bed out- patient paediatrics ward to Gbagada General Hospital.

CLUB’S WE CHARTERED:

(1) RC Maryland (2) RC Gbagada South (3) RC Lagos Mainland (4) RC Somolu (5) RC Anthony Golden (6) RC Onigbongbo (7) RC Isheri Golden (8) RC Alapere (9) RC Ikenne Ereke

ON GOING PROJECTS

Microcredit

(1) Ososa Micro Credit Scheme N13.5m (2) Igbogbo Micro. Credit Scheme- N10.5m (3) Igbo Oloyin Micro Credit Scheme N25m (4) SOS Village 200,000.