‘I Do Not See Stress Serving Humanity – Rotarian Balogun

It was like a gathering of Eagles yesterday at the Bero Auditorium Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja Lagos where the Rotary International District 9110, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government held a youth summit.

Past President Rotary Club of Ikeja-Alausa Central, an organizing Committee member, Rotarian Adebukunola Soile-Balogun, was one of those that shone like a million stars.

In this interview with the Eagle News team of CAMI EZENWA & MACWILLIAMS OLELEWE, she provides perspectives to her eventful tenure as past president and other important highlights:

We have heard much about your being an achiever, do please give us an overview of your tenure as Past President.

Thank you for your time and this opportunity.

Rotary runs on themes and the theme during my time was Imagine Rotary so we called ourselves Imaginative Presidents.

This year, it is Create Hope in the world, and we call the President, Hope Presidents. So we did imaginative things during the Rotary year.

PP Adebukonola Soyile Balogun

How would you describe that year of service; what was your experience like?

The Rotary year was challenging for me but I thank God that we were able to do so much in the area of serving humanity, by doing too many projects in our community.

Fortunately, when I was president, my club came third overall in about 140 clubs in the whole of the District which comprises of Lagos and Ogun states. It shows that we were able to reach out to so many people. We were able to empower artisans to start business, not only by giving them money, but we were able to give out so many other materials needed to start businesses. These included setting up hair dressing salons, tailoring and the likes.

Also, we were able to reach out to our youths; Rotary ensures that you give out to youths because youths are the future of the society, the hope of tomorrow. For the Interactors – those in the secondary school – we were able to reach out to them, with empowerment programmes, vocational trainings and the likes.

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Though my club doesn’t have a Rotaract Club, but we were able to reach out to youths to ensure that they are part of what we were doing.

My club was among the ones that did cataract surgeries, for a minor and many adults. We took the project out of Lagos state because we realized that most of the time, there is always a focus on Lagos but Ogun state is also part of our district. We took the programme to Ijebu Ode and we had almost 600 to 700 peoples screened and we gave glasses and medications to all of them and the surgeries for those that actually needed it. The surgery was however done in Lagos.

Here at Ikosi Nursery and Primary school, we gave them bags, books, and other stationery. That was my own personal project. Not that it was not for the club, but because for over ten years, I watched and realised that the school actually needed attention, and I was fortunate to be able to make that attention possible. We also gave them lecture on disease prevention and distributed hygiene items.

What would you say prepared you for this life of giving and service?

Personally, I have a passion for humanity. When I tell people that I have a passion for humanity, they wonder, how do you mean? I have been in Man O’ War for about 30 years and Man O’ War is also service. Its slogan is– build the man, build the community. That is our stand, so we do all these things seamlessly reaching out to the community. From my primary school, secondary school. And in the university, I was a training officer. Presently, I am the National Vice President for it in my university.

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So, when I joined Rotary, I realized that it was just about giving and giving, touching lives and touching lives. And so, with my passion to give and give, and touch lives, I just realised that doing Rotary was seamless for me.

Obviously, you hold a number of engaging positions and assignments, how are you able to juggle all and achieve results?

PP Adebukonola Soyile Balogun: Synonymous with performance

Somebody just asked me the same question outside: ‘how do you get to do all these. If I am the one doing all that you are doing, I could have died, but you do it and you deliver’.

It is not because I have strength, but because I have the passion. So what prompts me is because I have the passion to give; to serve humanity. I do not see it as a stress.

A brief overview on your education

I attended Olabisi Onabanjo University – I did Diploma in Law later changed, had a B.sc in Mass Communication and later an M.sc also in Mass Communication. I also have an MBA in Human Resources.

Currently, I am a Senior Assistant Registrar at the National Open University of Nigeria

With the kind of worrisome news we are hearing, what is your view about youths?

I have some fears about the youths and it has to do with the fact that they could be non-challant about life, not taking things seriously. However, I believe that with good mentorship, and continuously reaching out to, we would be able to change the future for them.

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These youths are the people that need to hear the right things. When they hear the right things especially from people they look up to, they are ready to change. So, I am very sure that the future of Nigeria will be great.

What Is That Outstanding Thing About Your Presidency Tenure?

Not in the history of District 9110 in 40 years has any club in its second year attained 1st to 5th position but we got the third position in our second year – it is first in history.

Thank You So Much For Your Time.