In just a few days, the Lions Club District 404A3 will be hosting an exciting event in Lagos. This event will serve as both a fundraiser and a public presentation for their pioneer District Governor, Lion Shakiru Adeniyi Balogun. Lion Balogun’s tenure will run from 2023-2024, and he emerged as the DG of the new district which covers parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
Lion Balogun, a native of Oyo state, studied Economics at Lagos State University. He worked briefly as a storekeeper at Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company before becoming a successful entrepreneur. His business ventures include Oil and Gas, Telecoms, and Education, and he has achieved great success in all of them.
He is a remarkable philanthropist and humanitarian. His impressive journey to leadership in the Lions’ Club is both inspiring and commendable. In order to raise awareness for an upcoming event, Lion Balogun visited the CityPeople head office in Gbagada, Lagos. During his visit, he spoke at length about becoming the first District Governor of Lions’ Club District 404A3 and his plans to elevate the district to new heights.
Below are the excerpts:
Tell us about your emergence as the Pioneer DG of Lions Club District 404A3?
In 2020, I was sponsored by my club, the Ikorodu Doyen Lions’ Club, to become the next District Governor. This was an honour for me as the club had previously produced two District Governors and is known as the foremost Lions’ club in Africa. In fact, it was the first to produce the first International Director and another District Governor, Sir Dr. Ayodele Ajayi. Accepting the offer to become the District Governor in 2021 was a call to service for me. The district I would be overseeing covers five states: Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, and Delta.
We embarked on a campaign across the entire district, leaving no stone unturned. In May 2021, the election was held and I emerged as the District Governor candidate after a fiercely contested race. My victory was resounding and I became the 2nd Vice District Governor. In the Lions’ Club, the path to becoming a District Governor requires one to be mentored by the current District Governor. As the 2nd Vice District Governor, I had a year to learn before being promoted to 1st Vice District Governor, and finally assuming the position of District Governor.
I had hoped to become the District Governor for Lions’ year 2024 through my hard work and dedication. However, due to the creation of two new districts, my position as 2nd Vice DG resulted in me becoming the pioneer District Governor for the newly formed District 404A3 in Nigeria.
Why was District 404A1 Split?
To form a district, there must be at least 35 clubs and 1250 members. Our district, 404A1, has grown considerably with over 1100 clubs and 3000 members across five states. We have exceeded the minimum requirements to become a district and have decided to split into two new districts. This was necessary as our district has grown in strength and unity. As a result, the new districts were formed.
What are the areas your District now covers?
As Lagos state is considered the epicenter of lionism in Nigeria, it has a higher number of members compared to other states. This is why District 404A3 covers parts of Lagos and Ogun states, while the other district spans across three states due to its larger membership. This arrangement improves administrative efficiency by reducing the time and energy required to cover the entire district from Lagos to Delta. Additionally, it is more cost-effective for managing the districts.
How come the District covers Edo and Delta state leaving out the remaining South Western states?
In the past, Nigeria only had one district of Lions’ Club. However, we gradually grew and expanded our reach. As I mentioned earlier, Lagos is the foundation of Lionism in Nigeria, so any district that hopes to succeed must include part of Lagos. This is because Lagos is more vibrant than any other state. As the Lions in Nigeria continued to grow, we eventually became two districts. We divided Lagos state along the North and South border line, starting from the Lagos/Ibadan Express road and splitting it into two parts up to the North. Later on, we expanded to four districts, and a small portion of Lagos was given to other districts.
We now have six districts, and we cannot allocate any portion of Lagos to any other district. Our current goal is to streamline district management and reduce time wastage. To achieve cost-effectiveness, we have decided to limit the coverage of district 404A3 to parts of Lagos and Ogun, while the other district will cover the entire Ondo, Edo, and Delta states. This approach makes it easier to manage the districts from their respective locations, without the need to come to Lagos.
How do you see your emergence as a district governor?
It was expected that the district would be split into two, as this decision was long overdue. We had been anticipating this news for some time, so when it was finally announced, I knew that I would become the district governor. Although I have one more year to prepare, the news did not come as a surprise. We started preparing immediately and have accomplished more than expected in terms of quality service delivery and member mobilization. I am grateful to God for this opportunity.
Can you tell us how you joined the club and how you have risen through the ranks?
In 1999, my close friend Lion Captain Henry Ogundipe encouraged and sponsored me to join the Ikorodu Lions’ Club. Despite never holding the position of president himself, Lion Henry saw potential in me and the club immediately engaged me as their secretary. Over the next few years, I was promoted to 3rd Vice President, 2nd Vice President, and 1st Vice President, before ultimately becoming president in 2005. I enjoyed an upward trajectory within the club until 2011, when I decided to take on a less demanding role as the region chair.
During my time as the region chair, I covered the same area that I am currently covering as the district governor, if not a larger one. In fact, the region I managed then, which included Odogbolu, Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, and Ago-Iwoye, was slightly bigger than the current district I am overseeing. Therefore, managing the new district is not a new experience for me, as I have done it before. However, we no longer have clubs in Odogbolu and Ijebu-Igbo, making the current district smaller than what I managed before.
What can you tell us about life as a district governor of Lions’ Club?
As Lions, we believe in investing our time, talent, and resources. Each month of the year, we undertake various projects to make a positive impact. In July, we focused on an environment project, where we beautified our surroundings by building parks, planting trees and flowers. Additionally, we educated the public on the importance of creating a safer environment. We also conducted training sessions for members of Lions’ Club and the public. In August, we turn our focus towards Youth Engagement. This month, we empower our youth, including our youth wing, Leos, and the wider community. We provide computer training and various craft activities to engage and inspire them. Moreover, we train them to become responsible members of the community and future leaders.
Every month, we have a range of activities planned for the Lions’ year. During September and October, we focus on raising awareness about vision. This involves conducting sight screenings, performing cataract surgeries, and occasionally carrying out cornea transplants for those who require it. As the district governor, I’m constantly occupied with these duties, making my year exceptionally busy. The leaders realized that the burden on the leadership is immense, and it’s better for someone else to take the reins for a year. This way, the leader can concentrate on running the club without neglecting their business or family. In essence, your family has to be supportive of your commitment to the Lions’ Club during your term.
What are the goals of administration as the DG and what are you doing to actualise them?
As the newly appointed District Governor, my top priority is to ensure the stabilization of the district, laying a strong foundation for its future growth in terms of membership, quality service delivery, and the training and development of future leaders. However, like every District Governor, I also have a desire to leave a lasting legacy. To achieve this, we conducted a community needs assessment, which led us to visit Ikorodu General Hospital and meet with the CMD and top management. During the visit, we identified the need for an improved eye clinic facility, as the current one is inadequate. We have decided to build a new eye clinic for the hospital, and we are glad to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the community.
We have begun the process of building an eye clinic, but we are still in the preparatory stage and completing the necessary paperwork. Although Ikorodu sponsored me as District Governor, our services extend beyond that area. Therefore, we have identified Gbagada General Hospital as a location that can benefit from our services. After conducting a needs assessment, we discovered a need for a one-stop-shop Diabetes Centre. We have received approval for this project and are in the process of completing all necessary paperwork so that work can begin. You may be curious about how we are funding these projects, as they are estimated to cost approximately 250 million naira, which is beyond our capacity as Lions. We have three sources for raising funds for projects that exceed our budget.
To fund our projects, we have three sources of support. Firstly, we talk to our members and encourage them to donate. Secondly, we reach out to the public and seek support from individuals with a similar passion for selfless service, especially those who are financially capable. This outreach includes sharing our vision and asking for their support. This will be a major focus of our upcoming event on September 9th. Thirdly, if we encounter a project that is beyond our financial capacity, we can apply for grants from our international head office. Once we complete the necessary paperwork, we will submit the application and hope for approval. With the help of all these sources, we aim to complete two projects within my term.
