The Rotary Club of Ikeja South, District 9110, has extended its hands of charity and love to boys in the Special Correctional Centre for Boys in Oregun area of Lagos State, by donating some food items, toiletries and drugs to the centre.
 
The donation was made at the centre, during an official visit of the District Governor, Rotarian Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo to the club on Thursday, September 28, 2017, with members of his entourage that includes the District Secretary, Rotarian Segun Adewakun and some District leaders.
 
The items donated to the centre include drugs, bags of rice, cartons of noodles, toilet papers, soft drinks, among others.
 
The president of the club, Rotarian Azuh Arinze, some other leaders and members of the club, as well as DG Ogunbadejo and members of his entourage also had a get-together with the boys, during which the Rotarians personally served the boys with food and drinks and also danced with them.
 
A dance competition was also organized for the boys and the best dancer got a prize. The best-behaved student and the most brilliant student were also recognized.
 
The President of Rotary Club of Ikeja South, while recognizing the best-behaved and most brilliant students, promised that the club will be back to the centre as soon as possible to reward the boys.
Rotarian Arinze also announced that the club will be back with school bags, fully loaded with books for all the boys in the centre.
 
The Vice Principal of the Centre, Mrs. Irene Dawodu expressed her gratitude to the Rotary Club of Ikeja South, while explaining the operations of the centre.
 
According to Mrs. Dawodu, “The Centre, formerly known as Boys Remand Home, was founded in 1945. We have the child rights law that helps us to bring them up based on international standards.
 
“We don’t provide them academic learning alone, we also give them vocational training to help them acquire skills”, she further stated, explaining that the various categories of children sent to the centre include missing children, children that are beyond parental control, child offenders between the ages of 10 to 17 years, and also children that are being maltreated by their guardians.
 
“A lot of children have graduated from here, gone back home, and are better people now. We pray and hope that someday, some of them will become leaders of this great nation”, she added.
 
DG Ogunbadejo, while addressing the boys, cited a proverb: “It’s a mother’s love for her child that makes her scold the child. It’s the love your parents and the society have for you that made them bring you here so you can prepare for your future and achieve your aim in life.”
 
According to him, “you are not here because your parents or the society hate you. No. It’s because they love you and want you to be better people in future. Some people are helping you here so, you should also have it in mind that someday, you will also be able to help someone else”, the Governor further said.
 
During the club’s board meeting which held after the visit to the centre, the DG commended Rotary Club of Ikeja South members for reaching out to the boys and making them feel loved.
 
While noting that it was his first time to visit the centre, DG Ogunbadejo said that he was quite touched, and he promised that he will try and see if other clubs will go there too.
 
“I really want to thank you greatly for taking us there. For me, it was an eye opener”, the District Governor and urged the club to develop various strategies through which it will raise funds in contribution to the fight against polio.
 
Five new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ikeja South by the Governor, who commended the club for its effort in adding to the membership of the club, but he also encouraged the club, not only to bring in new members, but also try as much as possible to retain them.