Posted by Bola Oyebade on Sep 01, 2020


Over time I have come to realise that education is not just importantbut indeed a panacea to the deadly disease illiteracy.  Consistently developing the mind and pushing the boundaries of thought, innovation and creativity therefore can only be achieved when the opportunities are available, these opportunities are what Rotarians all over the world are providing in every communities of the world. In our District clubs are extending the boundaries, breaking barriers, establishing basics educational institutes and supporting individuals and institutions.

As September is the month of Basic education and literacy, clubs are encouraged to execute projects and programmes that will support the schools and places of learning. There is no amount of education one may want to give that may be sufficient but the absence of it is far more dangerous than imagined. In creating an enlightened future, now is the time to begin to build it. We all have a collective responsibility to build the type of civilized environment we want in the future. 

Our District 9110 Education and Welfare Endowment Fund is our indigenous organization that supports the academics of indigent but brilliant students in tertiary institutions. The Fund has since inception supported many students and is currently supporting manymore. We are presently canvassing for more fund for the number of students being sponsored to be doubled this Rotary year and going forward. 
 

The support of Rotarians in this regard has been awesome but now more than ever is the time to support even more. In my opinion, everybody should have access to quality education. No one should remain an illiterate on account of fund and that is one of the reasons why a Rotary intervention is required to ensure a more literate community now and the future. In the past, I have visited some Schools and read to them. I have longed for this season so I could read at some Junior Schools. I still have this as part of the plan for the month.
 

Rotary leaders all over the district may adopt this as a simple project. You never would know the impact until a professional walk up to your years later to inform your that you inspired them when you read to them many years ago. I implore you to please read to a child every now and then.

Soon and in this month of Basic Education our Library will be upgraded to an e-library. The Library Committee has since July been working tirelessly to ensure the achievement of this remodeling. The Library has been cleared of its old books and shelves. It looks really set for twenty units Computers to be installed very soon. The committee will send invites for the launching of the e-library very soon and you all are invited to be part of this history.

Adult Education is very germane, it is as important as the education of the younger ones and it cannot be pushed to the back end on ground that the senior citizens may not require it. Clubs are encouraged to set up adult educational systems and help change the lives of the people that missed the first chance. Please help make their second chances memorable, they will thank you later, they will thank Rotary and most importantly they will make use of the education you gift them. 

Let me welcome specially once again our two new clubs, Rotary Clubs of Mende Midtown and Idimu Highrise. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that these new clubs get their footing immediately and begin to operate like our other clubs. 

This year like we all know is a declared emergency year for our membership development and we all must not relent in forming at least two new clubs each. Our minimum goal is thirty new clubs and we have members from various clubs that are charged with this responsibility.
 

The Membership committee will ensure that our goals are achieved and surpassed. On existing clubs, we must step up our engagement strategies, do everything possible not to lose any member in our clubs and maintain a perfect One hundred per cent retention. A perfect one hundred per cent retention is good but a fifty per cent net growth is better, all clubs must grow by fifty percent.

No matter what you do in this month of September please do recall the words of Allan Bloom the American Academic of Jewish background, a classicist and Philosopher who in one of his publications wrote “education is the movement from darkness to light”. I implore you to let the Rotary spirit in us kindle the required light to change the darkness in the lives of the illiterates in our communities. 

Enjoy the third month of this Rotary year and keep safe even more now than ever as the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown is relaxed further more.

 

Bola Oyebade

District Governor