Ado-Odo/Ota LG Hails Lions Clubs for Impactful Community Development Projects
The Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Alhaji Lawal Adewale Wasiu FCA, has commended Lions Clubs International for its continued commitment to community development and humanitarian service across the Local Government Area.
The commendation was conveyed through his representatives, Jamiu Agboola, Special Adviser on Agriculture & Food Security, and Odegbile Yusuf, Special Adviser on Education, Youth & Sports, during the commissioning of two impactful community projects executed by Lions Clubs in Ota.
The first project was a borehole water provided by Ogun Vanguard Lions Club for the residents of Abudu and Shodeke Communities. Speaking during the commissioning, the Club President, Morenikeji Babatunde, explained that the intervention became necessary after the club discovered the absence of any public water facility within the community.
According to him, the club partnered with a hospitality facility to ensure the powering and sustainability of the project, thereby guaranteeing continuous access to clean water for residents.
Community leaders present at the event expressed profound appreciation to the club for responding to a critical need of the people.
Delivering the Chairman’s message, Hon. Agboola described the Lions Club as a reliable partner in progress, noting that water remains a fundamental requirement for sustainable development and food security.
“Food security cannot be achieved without water. The importance of this project therefore cannot be overemphasized,” he stated, while charging community members to take ownership of the facility and ensure its proper maintenance.
In his remarks, the District Governor of Lions Clubs International District 404-B4 Nigeria, Debo Afolayan, commended the leadership and members of Ogun Vanguard Lions Club for identifying and addressing a pressing community need.
He emphasized that Lions Clubs are community-based organizations established to meet the needs of their immediate environments and called on well-meaning individuals to join the movement in order to contribute meaningfully to community development.
The water project was thereafter officially commissioned to the delight of residents and stakeholders.
The delegation subsequently moved to St. Peter’s Primary School, Iyesi-Ota, for the commissioning of a reconstructed block of classrooms, complete with a library and office space, provided by Ota Central Lions Club.
Speaking at the event, the Club President, Abiodun Oloyede, disclosed that the deplorable state of the classroom block during the club’s initial assessment informed the decision to undertake the project.
He noted that youth development remains one of the club’s core priorities and that investing in educational infrastructure is a strategic investment in the future of the next generation.
Representing the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Odegbile Yusuf applauded the club for the intervention and urged the school management to prioritize the sustainability and proper maintenance of the facility.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Local Government Education Authority, Alhaja Rukayat Ajayi-Badmus, appealed for more interventions from the club and other development partners.
She observed that government alone cannot address the huge infrastructural challenges facing the over 130 public primary schools within Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government and therefore welcomed greater collaboration with service organizations.
District Governor Debo Afolayan commended Ota Central Lions Club for the laudable project and encouraged the club to further support the school through other Lions initiatives such as Lions Quest and the establishment of an Alpha Leo Club to promote leadership development among pupils.
The reconstructed classroom block was formally commissioned amidst excitement and celebration as pupils entertained guests with colourful cultural displays and inspiring poem renditions.
The twin projects once again demonstrated the commitment of Lions Clubs International to complementing government efforts in improving access to quality education, clean water, and sustainable community development.
