Expert Urges Rotary Club to Prioritize Marketing, Youth Involvement

Raheem Akingbolu

Members of Rotary Club of Lagos have been urged to find ways of attracting the youth in their quest to serve humanity. While speaking at the annual President’s dinner programme organised by the club in Lagos, the guest speaker, Mr.Richie Dayo Johnson, who spoke on the theme: “Creating Synergy between the Media and the Social Sector for Economic Development” said time had come for the club to rethink its approach in the way it engages with the media saying that no one deserves to celebrate its milestone other than themselves.

He said: “You need to blow your trumpet. There is a lot that rotary club can do if younger people are allowed to take the stage. We need to get out of the old ways. As a matter of urgency, we need to rethink our engagement with the media. The Club must redesign its communication so that the children can be more interested. We have got to do things differently. We have got to bring children into the organization by finding out what interests them, “

Johnson, who was once a media personality for a number of years, underscored the important role the media industry has played even as he tasked members of the Club to make good advantage of the opportunity by partnering to achieve its objectives.

He said: “I can tell you that the media is ready to help. So, share whatever you have with them, tell them what outcome you would expect and be assured you will achieve it. We need to embrace the media, they will readily help you.”

While charging members to rise up to the leadership challenge plaguing the nation, Johnson noted that members cannot afford to fold their arms while the country continues to suffer bad leadership.
“We have a critical role in the development of both our economy and nation. We cannot afford to fold our arms while things continue to go bad. As Nigerians imbued with a sense of leadership, we need to rise up to the occasion. Government has no business in government or business.”

Earlier, the President of the club, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, while thanking members for redeeming their pledge towards the forthcoming global foundation centenary, said the dinner became necessary because it is an opportunity for embers and non members to network with one another.

The dinner, which is the second in the series, according to her, was unique as it coincided with the foundation centenary stressing that members should continue to show concern to humanity.
Maintaining that the club remains a good vehicle to exhibit good deeds, Sasore said the club had so far invested a lot of money and infrastructure in different parts of Nigeria as a way of helping to meet their daily needs.

She said: ” I must commend you all for the support given to my administration so far. I appreciate your work and generosity to serve humanity which rotary club is known for. It is important to state my administration has done quite a lot of work. We have completed some projects while we still have a lot or work to do. We are therefore calling on good people to join hands on the rotary club of Lagos to serve humanity better.”

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