From Ilorin
The Timi of Ede in Osun state,Traditional ruler of Ede, Oba Adesola Lawal, Laminisa I, has stressed the need for the Rotary Club International to continue to deliver on its mandate in the area of community development projects to boost social and economic living at the grassroots.
Speaking at the investiture of the new oresident of the Rotary Club of Ilorin Metro, Mr. Youssef Sanders in Ilorin at the weekend, the monarch said that the club should also engage the youth in such developmental projects.
The royal father, who said that the #EndSARS protest was caused by unemployment among the youths in the country, called on the government to address the problem to prevent future protest.
Also speaking, the new president of the club, Youssef Sañders, said that his target would be the provision of more classrooms in public schools and provide health facilities as well as assist pregnant women who could not afford to settle their hospital bills after delivery.
“Experience has shown that some pregnant women are held back in government hospitals after delivery of their babies because they are too poor to pay the bill. We
plan to assist between 150 and 200 women to offset their bills during the 2020/2021Rotarian year”, he said.
On #ENDSARS protest, Sanders advised government to engage the youths assuring that “once we engage the youth, we will all have a better country, because youths are the future of every country.”.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor, Kwara state University (KWASU), Malete, Professor Mohammed Mustapha-Akanbi, advised the Rotary Club International to fight fake news on social media, for its community projects to have impact on the society.
The Professor of Law said: “Rotary club can help, in this regard, to use its four ways test to determine what is a fake news especially by subjecting it to these questions; whether it is the truth, is it fair to all concerned, is it building goodwill and better friendship?
” These are questions that anyone who wants to spread news need to ask himself or herself before sending any news.
“I believe that if Rotary club emphasises these four ways test, our society is going to get better focus on community development. Therefore, I urge the club to l fall back on its four ways test in assisting the government in putting an end to fake news,”he said.
He also stressed the need for Rotary club to assist small organisations, as a club of intellectual and experienced people in the area of community development.
He noted that small organisations trying to put development projects in rural communities did not have the goodwill that Rotary club had, adding that offering of technical assistance to them would go a long way to have the on their stories.
“Many of these non-govermental organizations rely on friends to raise money, your members can give technical assistance in the way of training while their impact in the society will be tremendous” he said.
Speaking earlier, the outgone president of the club, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Musa, said that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the programmes of the club during the 2019/2020 year, adding that club provided PPE materials to support the goverment fight of the pandemic.