It was an atmosphere of gigs as people from all walks of life gathered on Saturday 29th July, 2022 at Oranmiyan Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja for the investiture of 2nd President Rotary club of Ikeja,Alausa – Central, Rotarian Adebukunola Soile-Balogun, who is an associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria,CIPM, Integrated Marketing Communication, Customer Care and Management; Association of University Administrators of the United Kingdom; Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators, and Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administrators and Man ‘O’ War Statesman.
Rotarian Adebukunola is a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University with a Diploma in Law and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and a Master of Business Administration.
She is the CEO of Bukai Princes & Princesses, a famous Event Outfit. She has devoted herself to achieving goals with her immense knowledge of Human Resources and Administration.
She has grown to the level of an Assistant Registrar with the National Open University of Nigeria.
In an online interview with Prince Afolabi of Elitist Media, Imaginative President Adebukunola shared her plan for the Rotary club and the legacy she will loved to be remembered for after her tenure as president.
How did your Rotary journey begin?
I was invited severally to be part of Rotaract Club, the youth arm of Rotary during my undergraduate days but started attending Rotary Club of Akowonjo’s meeting through the invite of my schoolmate Rotarian Giveth before I decided to be part of the formation of the Rotary Club of Ikeja-Alausa Central in September, 2020 and became a charter member on the admission of the club in March 2021.
Your emergence as the 1st female president in Rotary Club of Ikeja-Alausa Central how easy was the process?
Well, in Rotary we have guidelines and procedures which we follow during elections so I will say it was just the normal Rotary ways with the support of my members.
What are your plans for your Rotary club and how do you intend to carry them out?
For this year, the focus is to get more members into the club, make more impacts through our numerous projects on Education, Health, Empowerment and other areas of needs.
. What are the challenges you foresee as new president and how do you intend to overcome them?
Generally, the major challenge is funding of our activities and projects which we are trying to achieve through this Installation and some other fundraising methods within the club with members.
Talking of Nigeria as a society, how impactful is the Rotary club?
Rotary has come a long way in Nigeria and has made so many impacts which includes the eradication of Polio with the Federal Government and our partners, the Bill Gates Foundation. Rotary Clubs all over the country have carried out projects which have touched lives of both old and young in various communities.
Do you get any fund from the international body?
Not really but there is a foundation which we run in Rotary called the Rotary Foundation that has been on for over a hundred years and still counting, Rotarians and friends contribute and donate to this foundation and part of our contribution comes back to us as grants for us to executive projects.
What legacy would you like to leave behind after your tenure?
The greatest legacy I will like to leave behind is to be remembered for the growth of the club as well as positive impacts on our communities.
