Posted by Bola Oyebade on Aug 01, 2020

We have started witnessing the multiple opportunities the present situation the world has to offer.
 

As Rotarians we should refuse to accept the blows of the Covid-19 pandemic rather we should analyze and study the effect and take advantage of the situation. That exactly is what we are doing at the District level and I want to ask all Rotarians to flow in same thought and direction to achieve an even greater goal beyond our imaginations. 

I see doors of opportunities and we can not afford to let them slip away from our presence. With this I welcome you to the month of membership development, the month of August that Rotary has designated for us to look into our membership to attract more members, engage our members and form new clubs.

The membership goal for the year is fifty per cent. We started the year with a declaration of membership emergency having began the year with a membership strength of 3,218. We therefore should work towards ending the year with a membership of at least 4,827. This is an achievable number and the space to be positioned in our Rotary world.

In achieving this, all our clubs are expected to maintain their existing club membership strength while adding at least half of the membership strength by the end of the year. There is no best way to doing this as there are various strategies and one solution will not be suitable for all clubs rather each club should research into and execute the solution that best suits them. I however have a sevenpoint prescription that clubs may employ viz

1. Target and induct ten young and or past Rotaractors below the age of thirty years, you may give some percentage of the dues as rebate for them for two to three years
 
2. Poach a particular person or people in your community, in a particular organization, discuss Rotary with them and invite them to be members. Let them come and fill a classification in your club.
 
3. Implement a member bring member strategy. Each member MUST bring a member for induction into membership in thisRotary year. Do this all year round and give incentives or special recognition to those that achieve it earlier within three months or six months.
 
4. Engage ALL your members in committees and empower them to work and deliver on the assignments the club gives themthis will improve their cordial association with other members of the club and retain their membership.
 
5. Re engineer your WE CARE activities. If you do not have one, appoint a committee to start up immediately. If you have one already in place strengthen them and let them ask members what they want to make them want to remain in the club.
For instance they could want more fun activities periodically, more guest speakers at the meeting or more travelling etcetera.
Create all such wants for them within the regulations of Rotary.Your members are like your customers, you must delight them at all times

6. Still on retention, nominate your members to serve beyond the club level. When they are serving at the District level in committees or leading committees as District officers, they will understand more how Rotary works and be more interested in sustaining their Rotary membership, they get involved in District leadership and become advocates of Rotary. The more interested they are in Rotary, the more involved they get andthe less the chance of leaving
 
7. Nominate some members to look into the formation of new clubs and begin the process immediately with a target date of six months. Charter a new club every two years. You must consider one this Rotary year.

 

Last month we welcome the arrival of the newest club in the district, Rotary Club of MENDE MIDTOWN. The charter of the club was sponsored by Rotary Club of Maryland, Ikeja. This is just the beginning of the achievement of our goals as I ask more clubs to sponsor the charter of new clubs. Formation of clubs is now easier than ever and the District Membership team are more than capable to support clubs in achieving this.

Let me remind that to be among the five best clubs this Rotary year, the club must form at least two new clubs, they also must develop their membership by fifty per cent amongst other criteria as set by the Awards and Recognition Committee. This is the time to act to ensure a great conclusion come June 2021.

This is membership month, let’s talk membership. Let’s act membership and let us all support ourselves to build our membership. Membership is the beginning, the soul and the end of all organization. Therefore I charge you to be an agent, a builder of your club’s membership. Ask someone today to join Rotary.

 

Bola Oyebade 

District Governor