By Goodluck Ikiebe
The newly installed President of Rotary Club of Abuja Central Business District, Aisha Ali, a Senior Journalist, has promised to continue with the legacies of her predecessors in line with the charter of Rotary Club International.
She gave the assurance in her acceptance speech after being installed as the President of the Rotary Club, CBD District in Abuja.
Below is Aisha Ali full address on the occasion withessed by family members, colleagues in the Media and associates.
“Fellow Rotarians and friends of Rotary. On behalf of the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, I welcome you all and accept to be installed as the 7th President of Rotary Club of Abuja CBD.
It was a great thinker Lao Tzu, who said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, from there you make progress”.
That has been the story of the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, which on the 5th of August 2016 held its inaugural meeting with 16 people in attendance.
The Club officially became chartered by Rotary International on the 25th November 2016. Since then RC Abuja CBD has made steady progress as one of the vibrant fastest growing Clubs in District 9125 with a current membership strength of 60.
On this auspicious occasion, permit me to recognise and highly appreciate my predecessors, who in their own ways and through pragmatic and dynamic leadership ensured that the dream of the founders of Rotary keep growing thereby placing the Club on a high pedestal.
They are our Charter President Salome Garba, the second President General Martins Odeh, the third President, PP Yelwa Abubakar, the fourth President PP Oloye Daramola Ganiyu, the fifth President Anne Uche Obi and the Immediate Past President Max Amuchie. These past leaders have contributed in great measures in making our Club a great and vibrant one. I also recognise and appreciate the Convener of RC Abuja CBD, PAG Evelyn Onyilo for being the channel through which this Club was formed. She has remained a strong pillar in ensuring the development of the Club and members through proper mentorship.
I also salute our members for their support through the years by ensuring that our Club remains a vibrant and formidable one in the District.
Fellow Rotarians, the new Rotary year which commenced on the first of July has as its theme, CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD.
In line with this theme and our strategic plan, the Board members and I came up with projects to be executed in the next one year. They include aggressive membership drive, increase in contributions to the Rotary Foundation and embarking on projects in line with Rotary’s seven areas of focus. We will hopefully complete as a matter of priority the block of classrooms at Gidan Gimba, our adopted community which the club started last Rotary year. This will provide a conducive learning environment for the school pupils of the community.
We also intend to strengthen and support our interact Club at GSS Asokoro and charter a Rotaract Club in a higher institution of learning. To ensure that members enjoy the benefit of joining Rotary, we will engage everyone by placing them in functional committees and make our meetings more interesting.
I appeal to everyone to please attend fellowships regularly as we plan to take members welfare seriously.
Rotary is fun and friendship so let’s join hands to make it worth our time.
Fellow Rotarians, in the new year, we will participate actively in all District engagements and programmes.
No local club can exist without belonging to a District so we enjoin all CBD ICONS to take interest in District trainings, Conferences and other activities that may come up.
We pledge our unalloyed support to the District Governor Sagab Ahmed to ensure the success of the District.
Let me seize this opportunity to express our gratitude to the District Governor Sagab Ahmed for appointing three members of our Club to serve as District Officers in the 2023-2024 Rotary year.
PP Anne Uche Obi serves as an Assistant Governor, PP Yelwa Abubakar as District Legal Adviser and PAG Evelyn Onyilo as Assistant Zonal Coordinator.
Congratulations to all of them.
Fellow Rotarians, it is our intention also to ensure that we win the Rotary International Presidential Citation as has been the case since our Club was established.
In line with this goal, we are appealing to members to pay their annual dues promptly so as to meet RI deadlines as we identify with RI President Gordon R. Mclnally.
Yes we can!
I promise that there’ll be regular Board Meetings as enshrined in our By laws as well as quarterly Club Assemblies.
The monthly end of month MERRIMENT fellowship will continue to provide room for bonding and fun in line with Rotary practice.
I will want to express my appreciation to everyone who has come out today to support us as we Create Hope in the World together.
Thank you and God bless you all”, Aisha Ali concluded.
