AS the 2014/2015 Rotary year came to a close, the President, Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate, Ramesh Biswal, reviewed the activities that took place at the Club during the year of his stewardship.
Making his valedictory comment, Biswal appreciated members of the club for the support he enjoyed during the year. He also mentioned the mentoring and effective counseling of the District Governor, Dr. Dele Balogun despite his superintending responsibilities over Lagos and Ogun States, adding that, no achievement could have been recorded without the contributions made by every member including the Assistant Governor in charge of the club, Etin-osa Eboigbe Olaye.
Biswal, who was full of gratitude for the opportunity given him to serve, gave kudos to the pillar behind the club, past President Naranbhai Pathel, who, in the year, was awarded the title ‘MFR’ (Member of the Federal Republic) by the government. “Our Club was able to stand out, recorded those unprecedented contributions and won all the titles because of the various hands that were on deck to work as a team.
“I was able to start on a good note with the co-operation of my predecessor and the immediate past president Venegopal Jajoo. Concerted efforts of the past presidents, including Mukesh Bhatt, Dr. Alex Thomopulos, Suman Ramesh and the Charter President, Dr. D.S. Mirani and other members of our club made us to stand tall among all other clubs,” he said.
Biswal, recapitulating some of the projects that were carried out during his tenure, recalled the celebration of the award of MFR that was given to Patel. He also called to memory the Club’s winning the best trophy at the 33rd Annual District Conference of Rotary International at Abeokuta, where the past Director, Rotary International, 2008 – 10, Dr. Philip Silvers, was present.
He was later hosted in Lagos by the club, where the past District Governor, Kamoru Omotosho, presented the trophy won by the Club at the District conference in Abeokuta. Silvers, who commended the club for its various projects particularly lauded it for its vocational training programme, which was set up during his tenure.
He also reminisced on the celebration of 100 years of Rotary International during his tenure that was carried out with fanfare. He declared: “We organized health camp, where many people benefitted from the free screening of high blood pressure, sugar level among others; and people were given free drugs. We gave out artificial limbs and it was in my tenure that giving out of smart canes for the blind was introduced.
“The highly celebrated annual eye screening and surgery was also done and 1,200 patients benefitted from the exercises that were carried out in Lagos and Ogun States. Hon. Secretary from Rotary Eye Institute, India, Yogesh Naik, led a 14-member team of doctors and para-medical staff from India to carry out the surgery.
During my tenure, he continued, the club carried out an awareness campaign to sensitize parents within Ilupeju metropolis that immunization of their children against polio was non-negotiable until we say final bye, bye to polio in Nigeria.
According to him, the Publisher of The Guardian, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, a Rotary Icon and a pillar and past President of the Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate, Mr. Patel, flagged off the Polio Awareness Walk. The Club also celebrated the arrival of polio touch in Nigeria at Protea Hotel (Select), Alausa, Ikeja, where the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria was represented.
The programme was presided over by the District Governor, Rotary International, Lagos and Ogun States, Dr. Dele Balogun. “During my tenure, he stated further, members of the Club increased to 73 with only 27 more members remaining to become a mega-club, which would soon be achieved. “My greatest appreciation goes to those that made our projects known to the public and top on the list is The Guardian that consistently stood firm with the club as a loyal partner in progress.
