Lions Club Poised to Suppress Childhood Cancer in Nigeria

Mary Nnah

As the world marked this year’s International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) on Tuesday, February 15, concerns have been raised over the alarming rate at which the incidence of childhood cancers is growing in Nigeria, fast becoming an epidemic.

One of those concerned about the growing incidence of childhood cancers in Nigeria is the Lagos Metropolitan Lions Club, District 404-B2, Nigeria.

The club recently revealed it intends to embark on some activities that are aimed at suppressing childhood cancer while providing support and care for those affected.

This was made known on the occasion of the installation of the newly elected president of the club, Lion (Chief) Christopher Folajimi Ajayi, and other club officers/fundraising ceremony in Lagos recently.

Ajayi lamented that although several children in developing countries like Nigeria suffer from cancer of various types, only a few of them are cured due to the high cost of treatment.

He, therefore, called all government, private organisations, and individuals to join hands in tackling this life-threatening condition in children before it gets out of hand.

Ajayi who enumerated activities lined up for his tenure to include protection of vision, fight against diabetes, support for hunger relief, revealed further that to ensure a clean and healthy environment for children, the club is also embarking on a legacy project of 10 units lavatory facility for Jubril Martins Government Primary School, Dopemu, Agege, Lagos, to be delivered by March 2022.

The project, incoming president of the club who took over from Lion Franklin Udah, the immediate past president, revealed further, is drafted to cost N6 million and would include a standard borehole, 10,000 liters tank, and water dispensing outlet for the good use of the pupils and teachers of the school.

Udah, who served as a chartered president of the club for the 2020/2021 lions year, noted that it has been a fulfilling service year.

“The good Lord has crowned our efforts by availing a successor worthy in every sense of duty to wear these enormous shoes”, he added.

While congratulating the president and other officers, the District Governor, Lion Kayode Oshinuga said, “The office of the president of a club is a very important and most challenging assignment as it is the bedrock upon which other structures of the association are built.

“As you continue to grow and consolidate in the business of providing service to the communities that we serve, it is necessary to remind you of the need to remain focused on those key ingredients which make a club succeed in this business of providing services to our community, paramount among which is membership development.”