ROTARY DISTRICT GOVERNOR PLEDGES SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Rotary International District 9126 has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening humanitarian service through sustainable community development.

The commitment was made on Saturday by the newly installed District Governor, Rotarian Olaniyi Okin, during his investiture as the third District Governor of Rotary International District 9126 at the Hall of Grace, Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Okin described his emergence as a call to greater responsibility, saying his administration would focus on projects capable of delivering measurable and lasting benefits to communities.

He said the 2026/2027 Rotary International theme, “Create Lasting Impact,” would serve as the guiding principle for every programme and intervention undertaken by the district.

“I accept this responsibility not as an honour to be celebrated, but as a sacred trust to be faithfully discharged. Rotary leadership is defined by service, sacrifice and commitment to improving lives rather than by titles or recognition.

“Let me, on behalf of Rotary International District 9126, reaffirm our commitment to deepening humanitarian service through sustainable community development,” he said.

Okin pledged to build on the achievements of previous administrations while strengthening Rotary’s presence and relevance across communities within the district.

On the global campaign to eradicate polio, he reaffirmed Rotary’s commitment to ending the disease, saying District 9126 would continue advocacy, awareness campaigns and fundraising initiatives until polio is eradicated.

“We have come too far to stop now. Every child deserves to walk, every child deserves to laugh, and every child deserves a future free from polio,” he said.

He stressed that the district would prioritise sustainable service projects capable of addressing genuine community needs rather than interventions designed solely for visibility.

“Rotary’s impact should be measured by the lives transformed, opportunities created and communities empowered long after individual projects have been completed.

“We will not pursue projects simply because they are visible. We shall pursue projects because they are valuable,” he added.

The event attracted Rotary leaders from across Nigeria and beyond, as well as traditional rulers, legal practitioners, captains of industry, government officials and development partners.

It also marked the formal handover of leadership from the immediate past District Governor, Rotarian Funkeakpo Batife, to Okin.