Public Presentation of Sir Monday Onyeme as Lions Clubs Governor to Hold Today, Saturday August 11
ASABA/Nigeria: The Chairman of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, Sir Monday Onyeme is to be decorated as Governor of District 404A1 Nigeria of International Association of Lions Clubs in the 2018/2019 Lions Year on Saturday, August 11, 2018.
The presentation ceremony scheduled to hold at the Event Centre, Asaba, will have the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as Special Guest of Honour and will be chaired by the Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe, Vice Chancellor, Taraba State University, Jalingo.
Briefing journalists today in Asaba, Sir Onyeme, stated that the 2018/2019 Lions Year, with the theme, “Empowerment Through Service”, would be focus on reaching out to the poorest of the poor.
“We do not intend to patronize them by giving out handouts, Sir Onyeme said, adding, “Rather we shall focus on impacting skills to these our brothers and sisters to enable them take their destiny in their hands. This task is onerous but we are determined to follow the goals through by the grace of God and support of you all.”
The new District 404 A1 Governor whose tenure commenced since July 1, 2018 and to end June 30, 2019, stated that the district intended to continue with the tradition the International Association of Lions Club was known for with greater urgency and vigour.
“Our target audience are the poor, sick, disabled, unemployed, underprivileged in our society” he said, saying “Accordingly, our scope of activities include but not limited to Free Diabetes screening and awareness, Pediatric Cancer awareness campaign, Free Cornea transplant and cataract surgery, Relieving hunger and Tree planting and other environmental friendly projects.
“We shall also procure and distribute to primary and secondary schools as well as some tertiary institutions in our area of coverage. As a matter of fact, the textbooks have arrived the shores of Nigeria and arrangements for the distribution have reached advanced stage.
“We shall continue to consolidate on the gains made in this area by reaching out to larger numbers of our people in need, in addition to expanding our horizon to include building of 75 public convenience, equipped with boreholes in our public schools, motor parks, markets etc.”
Sir Onyeme expressed joy at the giant strides Lions Clubs within the district, comprising Delta Edo, Ondo Ogun and parts of Lagos State, had made in executing key projects for the benefit of the people, stressing, “We appreciate all men and women of goodwill, donor agencies and multilateral organizations that have partnered with us in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable in our society.”
According to him, 93 Lions Clubs exist in District 404 A1 Nigeria administered under 10 Regions with membership strength of 2,400, noting that a large number of the citizens were in need of assistance to keep their heads above water.
He called for every hand to be on the plough and appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to either identify with the laudable objectives of the International Association of Lions Clubs by becoming a Lion or partner with Lions Clubs to bring succor to the vulnerable.
The District Governor said that membership drive was going to be given a very high premium during this 2018/2019 Lions Year, recalling that the association came into Nigeria through the initiative of Lion Akintola Williams in 1964 and since then, the impact of Lions Club in the different part of the country had been very immeasurable.
Lions Club International, he said, was founded in 1917 and is the world’s largest service organization, with 1.5 million members in no less than 70,000 club spread out in 203 countries and geographical areas of the world.
