Lions International, District 404A3 Nigeria, held its 3-day second District Convention with the theme: “Promoting Excellence in Service” at Conference Hotel & Suites, Shagamu, Ogun State under the auspices of the District Governor, 2024-2025, Dr. Folasade Shotomide whose tentacles spread to both Lagos and Ogun states.
At the end of the plenary session which took place at NUGA Planet Hotel, Shagamu, Ogun State, Shotomide stated that the 2nd District Convention was an avenue to bring together members of Lions clubs under district 404A3, Nigeria with a view to looking into “where the District was coming from, where it is and where it is heading to.”
She added that it was also a time of fellowship for the members who have been serving various communities to felicitate together and make merry.
“We examined those areas we have not been doing well, made amends and encouraged ourselves to move forward.
“We have come to make our presence known in Shagamu that there is a service organisation known as Lions club that helps humanity and that having more clubs within various communities in Shagamu will be better of for the people,” she said.
Shotomide described the convention as a landmark event where unusually, three different humanitarian services bordering on screening of blood pressure and diabetes were carried out at different locations in one day simultaneously.
According to her, other activities carried out to include parade on the streets of Shagamu, humanitarian services, campaigns and give aways that depicted what the organisation stands for according to the theme of the convention.
At the plenary session, provision for free eye glasses was made for twelve beneficiaries but only seven turned up.
She expressed delight in the participation of the Ewusi of Makun, Shagamu, His Royal Highness, Oba Oyesola Akinsanya who gave the district four plots of land in Shagamu; Pioneer District Governor, Rotary International, District 9111 (Lagos and Ogun states), Dr. Wole Kukoyi and other dignitaries.
Shotomide who looks forward to chartering a Lions club in Iperu to open doors for more clubs to be formed in the axis also expressed anticipation for the government strengthening its partnership with Lions Club International domiciled in Nigeria for a better nation.
Multiple District Council Chairperson, Ano Anyanwu said every district is expected to have convention once every year while every multiple district is also mandated to hold convention yearly, adding that the latter’s convention would hold in May at Oshogbo.
He expressed satisfaction at the level of guests at the convention which he premised on the district governor’s leveraging her position as the daughter of the soil.
Anyanwu also commended Shotomide for the various arrangement put in place in the areas of logistics, accommodation, transportation and others.
He noted that Lions Club that was formed in Nigeria in 1964 would spread to nooks and crannies of the country as he asked for more Nigerians to join the about ten thousand existing members of Lions Clubs in Nigeria, the number he considered inadequate to serve Nigeria population of more than 200 million.
Chairman, Md404 Board of Trustees and Humanitarian Partner/Past International Director, Hamed Lawal in his goodwill message, described Shotomide as hard working and resourceful district governor who deserves commendation as well as the founding fathers of the district and the lions club in Nigeria.
International Director CAB Africa, 2024-2026, Dame Adetope Tychus, commended Shotomide and the entire leadership team of the district for their dedication and hard work in organising the convention.
The Guest Speaker, Taiye Olaniyan, making reference to the theme of the convention, commended members of Lions clubs international for their selfless and humanitarian services. He said the act of giving is both spiritual and physical, adding that God has a way of compensating those who render humanitarian services to the less privileged.
