President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised Rotary International for its role in eradicating polio in Nigeria and Africa, noting that millions of children on the continent are alive and thriving because the organisation remained steadfast in the fight against the disease.
He, therefore, called for a deeper partnership between the federal government and Rotary in critical sectors of national development, including healthcare, education and youth empowerment.
President Tinubu said this at a presidential inaugural dinner in Abuja in honour of the new President of Rotary International, Rotarian Olayinka Hakeem Babalola.
Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, described Rotary’s contributions to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative as one of the greatest examples of international cooperation in public health.
He said: “Rotary’s leadership in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative remains one of the finest examples of international cooperation in public health. Nigeria understands what it means for a nation once burdened by wild polio virus to stand free of it through persistence, partnership, science and sacrifice and we say thank you.
“Africa and Nigeria in particular remember the Rotarians who stood firm when the task was difficult and the road was long. Millions of African children can live, walk and dream today because people of goodwill refused to surrender.”
“I therefore use this occasion to invite Rotary in Nigeria and the global Rotary family under President Babalola’s leadership to deepen partnership with the Federal Government in key human development sectors,” the president said.
The president who identified primary healthcare, maternal and child health, basic education, literacy, youth skills and enterprise development as areas where such collaboration would have immediate impact, further said: “If we align Rotary’s culture of community service with the Federal Government’s policy direction under Renewed Hope, we can create results that are measurable, local and lasting. We can deliver hope not as a slogan, but as a lived reality.”
In his remarks, President, Rotary International, Mr Babalola, said apart from the EndPolioNow, the organisation has floated new programmes of “Together for Healthy Families and Healthy Communities Challenge” to address maternal, malaria and diarrhoea problems in the country.
“Rotary’s greatest achievements are not measured by the meetings we hold or the plans we make, but by the lives we transform and the hope we create.
“Nowhere is that impact more evident than here in Nigeria. For decades, Nigerian Rotarians have stood shoulder to shoulder with communities, governments, and global partners in one of humanity’s greatest public health campaigns- the fight against polio.
“Through persistence, sacrifice, advocacy, and countless hours of volunteer service, Rotary has helped bring Nigeria and the African continent to the threshold of a polio-free future.
“Yet, until polio is eradicated everywhere, our vigilance must continue, because every child, everywhere, deserves the chance to live free from this devastating disease.
“At the same time, Rotary is addressing another urgent challenge through Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, one of The Rotary Foundation’s Programs of Scale. This initiative is helping to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Abuja, Nasarawa, Gombe and Ekiti states by strengthening health systems, training healthcare workers, and empowering families and communities to make informed health decisions,” Babalola said.
He added: “And the outcomes have been nothing short of impressive. Through this programme, Rotary is demonstrating that healthy mothers and healthy children are the foundation of strong and prosperous communities.
“And we are taking another bold step through the Healthy Communities Challenge, an initiative designed to tackle some of the most significant threats to community health, including malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, and pneumonia with pilots in Kebbi and Akwa Ibom states.
“By focusing on prevention, education, and community engagement, Rotary is helping to build healthier and more resilient communities across Nigeria.
“These three initiatives tell a powerful story. They show Rotary at its best- solving problems, building partnerships, and creating sustainable change. They remind us that our work does not end with a single project or a single year. We are in the business of building a better future.”
Also speaking at the event, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, commended Rotary for its enduring values and described Babalola’s emergence as a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa.
“In a world of misinformation, Rotary must be the voice of truth. In a world of inequality, Rotary must be the voice of fairness. In a world of division, Rotary must build bridges,” the former president said.
He urged the new Rotary International President to lead with conscience and ensure that ethics and impact remained central to the organisation’s mission.