U.S. Ambassador tasks Nigerians on integrity

The Rotary Club of Ikeja, District 9110, has inaugurated Adeniyi Adelaja as the 51st president of the club.

The well-attended ceremony was graced by representatives of Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington. Thereafter, Adelaja inducted his members of executive into the board of directors before giving his inaugural address.

According to the guest speaker, Ambassador Symington, who was represented by the U.S. Commercial Counselor and head of its Lagos Consulate, Brent Omdahl, he said Nigeria’s population would overtake America’s by 2050, noting that 20 million Nigerians currently live in the United States and that Nigeria has the fourth largest diaspora remittances in the world.

Omdahl called on leaders across all divides to make the country’s expanding population a dividend rather than a bubble. Quoting the 34th president of the United States, General Dwight Eisenhower, who said ‘integrity is the soul of leadership’, he urged the populace to invest on leaders with integrity.

In his goodwill message delivered by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, Governor Ambode was full of appreciation to the efforts of Rotary Clubs in the development of the state. Ambode said Rotary Clubs’ humanitarian activities have impacted positively on the economy of the state.

The governor said that in the last 50 years, Rotary Clubs have been partners in progress through their development initiatives to alleviate the needs of the Nigerian people. They have complemented government’s efforts in the provision of the basic needs and infrastructure, he said.

Ambode urged Adelaja to imitate his illustrious predecessors such as the late Chief Anofi Guobadia, Prince Julius Adeluyi and Chief Bintan Famutimi, while he solicited the support of Rotarians in the development of Lagos.