chief medical director of Ajayi Medical Center in Ikorodu, Dr. Ayodele Ajayi, was on Saturday, August 13, 2016, bestowed as the fourth District Governor of Lions’ Club International, District 404AI, Nigeria, at the Ikorodu Musical Village, Ikorodu.
During the event, which was witnessed by people from all walks of life and Lions from different parts of the world, Dr. Ajayi, who is the centennial District Governor because it coincided with a century of Lion’s Club existence, restated his commitment to engage in more humanitarian services.
While rendering the acceptance speech, he disclosed that Lion’s Club International was strictly a service organization dedicated to serving the needy and the less privilege in the society. Since its inception, it has also been instrumental in maintaining world peace.
Speaking further, Ajayi said that the club was the world’s largest service organization with over 1.4million members, comprising over 46,000 clubs distributed all over the world. He quoted the personal maxim of the founder, Melving Jones, as follows: “You cannot get very far until you start doing something for somebody else,” which he said had been the major drive of Lions’ Club International.
Among the focus of the club for the 2016/2017 Lions’ year include furnishing and purchasing of eye equipment for Oluwatoyin Lions’ Eyes and Event Centre being built in memory of a great Lion of blessed memory. According to him, the centre would provide screening and management services for common eye conditions that could lead to blindness. The venue would also serve as a meeting point for Lions in his district. He put the cost of finishing the project at five million Naira (N5million) and others like procurement of diagnostic equipment would be purchased at the cost of six million Naira (N6million), while 
surgical equipment would be four million Naira (N4million). The total cost would be fifteen million naira (N15million).
In order to ameliorate the challenges faced by people, he has also promised to continue with the centennial service projects. In his words: “On July 1, 2004, our association challenged Lions worldwide to serve one hundred million less privileged people world-wide in the areas of youth empowerment, sight, feeding the hungry and environmental protection. All these would be achieved by 30th June, 2017 to mark our one hundred years of existence.”
Disclosing further, he said that by July 2016, over ninety-nine (99) million people had been served: “We have been challenged by our international president, Chancellor BOB Corlew, to surpass the goal and climb new mountains of service in our different communities. We have also been challenged to embark on legacy projects that would live beyond us. I am aware of several projects that are ongoing in our district. We hope to support these projects by way of matching grants. These would cost about five million Naira (N5million)”, he stated.
Still speaking on his plans, the new District Governor stated, “In the course of my short tenure in office, I have visited an extremely poor community at Bariga, where I saw over three hundred (300) barefooted children dressed in rags. These children have no education and their illiterate mothers are mere baby making factories. I wonder what the rate of maternal and infant mortality would be in this community. The Lions’ Club nearest to them would be supported to carry out an aggressive enlightenment campaign and collaborate with Lagos State government to establish schools in the community.”
Dr. Ajayi expressed appreciation to everyone, especially his amiable wife, Lion Dr. (Mrs.) Olayinka Ajayi, for their great support. He ended his speech by calling for more support towards the actualization of his goal and assured all and sundry of his dedication and commitment to humanitarian services. He, therefore, revealed his code or personal maxim in the worlds of Stephen Grellet, “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing I can do, any kindness I can show to any woman or man alive, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall never pass this way again”, he concluded.
Next was the handing over of the baton of leadership by the immediate past District Governor of the Lions’ Club, Lion Patricia Udeme, to her successor, Dr. Ajayi, who was officially presented to the audience at the event. Lion Udeme also acknowledge the support she got from Dr. Ajayi and implored others to give him greater support to succeed. After that, the District Governor carried out the installations of the Club’s presidents, cabinet officers and CEO District president. Fund raising was also carried out, during which Lions and the guests of Dr. Ayodele Ajayi honoured him with cash and cheques.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, August 11, 2016, the new District Governor had led Lions’ leaders, Lions and Leos under his district to various locations in Ikorodu to enlighten the people about what Lions Club was all about. He had the opportunity to commission different kinds of legacy and centennial projects carried out by some Lions Clubs in Ikorodu Division.
While kicking off their programme, the Lions paid a courtesy visit and homage to Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Ayangbure of Ikorodu. Dr. Ajayi, while speaking at the Ayangbure Palace, told Oba Shotobi and others present, including his Chiefs, that Lions Club was an organization with over 1.4 million membership, with 64,000 clubs spread over two hundred geographical locations around the world.
According to him, Lions are known for service and world peace in various and different communities, and have been serving the less privileged without discrimination. He said that Lions’ activities have been thoroughly carried out in Ikorodu. This was evident in the provision of social amenities like boreholes, toilets, bus stops, among others, which were made available to schools, hospitals and communities in the town. The Governor also disclosed that very soon, an ultra-modern free eye care hospital would be commissioned for the betterment of the people of the town.
Speaking further, he intimated that the said hospital, which is located at Ebute, was at an advanced stage of construction, and commended the sustained contribution of the past Lion’s International Director, Lion H.O.B Lawal, towards the project. He observed that by the time the hospital begins operation, the people with eye defects would be taken care of free-o- charge. He also revealed that Oba Shotobi was his senior during his primary school education at Methodist Primary School, Ikorodu. He congratulated the Monarch on his first year anniversary as the Ayangbure of Ikorodu and on the emergence of a new District Governor of Lions’ Club International, District 404AI, Nigeria, from his kingdom. The new District Governor also commended the various achievements of the monarch on the throne and wished him more successful reign.
In his response, Oba Shotobi, while standing up and shaking hands with the Lions, rendered songs of praise to the almighty God. When he took his seat, he explained: “Dr. Ajayi was born in Ikorodu, lives in the town, has his business there, and now a Governor of District of Lions Club in the town! What a good legacy he has…!” I want to thank him for moving this town to a greater height. I am not surprised to see these calibre of people in the club. They are people who have trust in God, especially Alhaji H. O.B. Lawal, who is rendering services to the less privileged. Don’t relent because God blesses those who help the poor. God will continue to bless you,” he stated.
Declaring further, the Monarch said had it not been for the support of Ayodele’s father, he might not have become an Engineer. He urged the Lions club to continue with their humanitarian services, stating that he is also a Lion. He prayed for them and promised to always support them in whatever way he could.
The Lions’ Club members and their leaders later proceeded to Community Primary School Intensive Unit, a special school for the disabled at Ipakodo, where the new Governor commissioned forty hearing aids donated to the pupils with hearing impairment. The Igbogbo Lions Club also empowered the youths there. The good gesture was appreciated by the school’s management, with the Assistant Head Master of the school, Mr. Adebisi Muhammadu Musau, urging the general public to assist the Lion’s Club with prayers and join hands with them in moving the communities forward.
The club later left for Ibeshe Palace, where they were received by HRM Oba Richard Ogunsanya, the Oba of Ibeshe, and his Chiefs. Dr. Ajayi addressed the traditional institution briefly, after which the Oba, in his speech, described him as a very great man whom God almighty had used to bless Ikorodu Division. Oba Ogunsanya then urged the Lions to create more awareness about their purposes and activities so that more people could begin to impact on their communities through the club. The monarch declared Dr. Ajayi as an indigene of Ikorodu because the town is his place of birth, where he has been living for years. He enjoined the youths to emulate him as he also has a humble beginning. In his words, “I like people, who their aim is to provide social amenities for those who don’t have access to them. I promise that I would give my full support, wherever it is needed,” he stated.
After the District Governor had presented gifts to the royal father and decorated him and his chiefs with the District Governor’s pins as previously done in Ayangbure palace, the Lions and their new district Governor, together with his amiable wife, Lion (Dr.) Mrs. Olayinka Ajayi, moved to the Eye Care Hospital. The hospital project, which is being carried out by the Ikorodu doyen Lions Club, is still under construction along Ibeshe road. It was inspected by the District Governor and his entourage.
Other projects also carried out by the Ikorodu Crystal Lions Club at Etunrenren Primary School included the donation of a school entrance gate, which has already been mounted; flooring of nineteen classrooms, and provision of concrete base for school building.
The District Governor said these were among the centennial projects of the Club. Alhaja Kolawole K.F., the Assistant Head Mistress of the Primary school, commended the Ikorodu Crystal Lions Club on behalf of the school’s management for doing the needful at the right time and wished them more progress in their various endeavours.