The Rotary Club of Rock City has inaugurated Rotarian Henry Olasupo Adedokun as its 3rd President during a colorful investiture ceremony held at the Marquee event center of Intercontinental Suites in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The ceremony was supervised by Rotary District 9111 Governor, Rotarian Oluwole Kukoyi, and other top Rotary officials.
In their remarks, Rotarian Kukoyi and Guest Speaker, Dr. Adekunbi Wuraola, urged Rotarians to be intentional in their service to humanity and build a sustainable society.
Chairman of the occasion, JCI Senator Pascal Dike, emphasized that serving humanity is the best legacy one can leave behind. The event also saw the investiture of Rt. Dr. Moses Olawale Olanrewaju as President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Rock City.
In his acceptance speech, President Henry Adedokun sought the support of his members, emphasizing that together, they can achieve significant community impact through service to humanity.
He said ” My passionate interest in serving humanity began with my membership in Junior Chamber International over three decades ago. During this period, I was trained to be an international facilitator and speaker and shaped to be a servant leader who prioritizes teamwork, unity, and professionalism—essential rudiments of organizational development. As John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.
“To further my commitment to passionately serve humanity, I joined Rotary in 2022 as a founding member and Charter Secretary of the Rotary Club of Rock City. Today, I am deeply honoured to be installed as the third president of our club and the Pioneer President in District 9111. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
According to him, “The history of RC Rock City mirrors my own humble beginnings. From being tagged as a “one chair, one table” club, we have grown to be consistently recognized as a strong club, not just within Egba Rotarians, but significantly at the District Level and Rotary International.
In under three years, we initiated and executed an Obesity Inter-District project, secured a District grant to deliver a standard two-room public toilet to the community, served outstandingly in various District committees, and won a Rotary International Citation. These achievements remind me of Henry Ford’s words, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success”.
All these achievements, he said ” were made possible under the leadership of our Charter President, Rtn. Abiodun Olusola Sobogun FCA, PHF, and my Immediate Past President, Rtn. (Engr) Oluleke Gbolagoke Adebiyi PHF. This unique status of our dear club must be sustained and built upon”.
While soliciting for cooperation, he stated “I need everyone here to join me spiritually, morally, and very importantly, financially, to succeed as the Irresistible Magical President of RC Rock City. Together, we can make magical moves towards an irresistible community impact through service to humanity. As Helen Keller wisely noted, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
On his plans as the President, he disclosed “We have a budget of 24.9 million Naira for our irresistible projects for the 2024-2025 Magic of Rotary year. It is a considerable amount, especially considering our current economic climate. However, I firmly believe in small share sponsorship, where everyone’s honest contributions—whether five thousand, ten thousand, twenty thousand, fifty thousand, or even a million Naira—can come together to achieve our set goals. As Mother Teresa once said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
He said “I appeal to our club leaders and all members to believe in my personality and approaches, which are based on my vast organizational exposure. Let us unite first as a club and achieve our goals not as individuals but as a united family. As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
According to him, “I am always passionate and committed to whatever I choose to do, especially when it involves human capacity development, service to humanity, and mingling. To my wife and immediate family, I plead openly here again: join me in this task wholeheartedly, as you always have, and trust that I will return home completely soon afterwards.
He concluded ” Membership of a service organization is not for the rich, but for individuals with rich hearts, willing to reach out to others in need. To my club members, remember: If it is to be, it is up to me. It is up to you! As Winston Churchill eloquently put it, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
