Opebi Rotary rallies support for physically-challe

L-R, Assistant Governor (AG) Ezinne Obioha; President, Rotary Club of Opebi, Tunde Salami, Director Genera (DG), Rotary International, District 9110, Omotunde Lawson, Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), Abdulwahab Matepo on the wheelchair; Rotn Azuh Arinze and Olu Ogunjobi during Opebi Rotary’s presentation of wheelchairs to members of SCIAN.

District Governor (DG), District 9110, Rotary International, Omotunde Lawson has stressed the need for Nigerians to be more responsive to the needs of special and less privileged persons in the society.

She said this was because, for people with special needs to function effectively in their daily living and activities, they were, often than not, hamstrung financially and unable to afford the basic necessities.

Lawson made the call during her visit to the Rotary Club of Opebi, Ikeja, where she supervised the club’s presentation of wheelchairs to members of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), as well as donation of food and other gift items to students of the Oregun Correctional Centre for Boys.

The DG called on well-meaning Nigerians to join the Rotary cause and donate voluntarily to its many humanitarian interventions.

President, Rotary Club of Opebi, Tunde Salami, explained that the twin-activities held during the DG’s visit were landmark projects that he planned to execute right from his investiture.

Speaking on the choice of SCIAN for the wheelchair donations as against polio victims, which are more common, he said the club realised that more groups had made donations to polio victims in the past.

“We realised that the spinal cord association needed a lot of help. Some of the beneficiaries of our donations had been on the waiting list of the association for months. That made us to have a change of mind, and choose the spinal cord victims.”

Pix 2: L-R, Immediate past president, Rotary Club of Opebi, Rotn Eugene Osigwe; Mrs Salami; the Club’s President, Tunde Salami; a representative of the Oregun Correctional Centre, Mr. Yusuf and Rotn Femi Olaleye during the club’s presentation of food and other gift items to students of the Centre.

“We donated six wheelchairs and they were so delighted. The Assistant Governor, Ezinne Obioha also donated a wheel chair when she was moved by the joy of the victims,” he said.

Salami added: “We contacted them and they told us the specific type that they use, which is different from the ones used by polio victims and the rest. It was a memorable event and I was proud and happy because they were very happy. To them, wheelchair is life; without it, they cannot move around and do a lot of things. I am happy that we were able to impact lives in that regards.”

The Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), Lagos State chapter, Abdulwahab Matepo, while receiving the wheelchairs on behalf of the association, expressed gratitude to Rotary Club of Opebi for the donations.

He said it was good that the association was consulted before procuring the wheelchairs for the beneficiaries. He also thanked Rotarians for the confidence reposed in the association by giving it the latitude to distribute the wheelchairs to those in need at their various locations.

“I can assure you that these wheelchairs would get to those who need them. We appreciate the gesture and pray that God would reward you and continue to strengthen you to do more,” he said.

Lawson thanked Matepo for effectively coordinating activities of the group and urged him to ensure good use of the chairs by members. She urged the members not to be weary and to keep waxing strong in the face of challenges.