Date: 2020-12-07

The traditional ruler of the ancient town of Ede in Osun State, the Timi of Ede, Oba Adesola Lawal, Laminisa I, has stressed the need for the Rotary Club International to continue to deliver on its mandate in the area of community development.

Speaking at the investiture of the new president of the Rotary Club of Ilorin Metro, Mr Youssef Sanders, in Ilorin at the weekend, the monarch said that the club should also engage the youth in such developmental projects.

The royal father, who said that the #EndSARS protest was caused by unemployment among the youths in the country, stated that some of the youths that have graduated for more than 15 years could not secure employment.

The monarch then called on the government to address the issue of unemployment in the country to prevent future protest.

Also speaking, the new president of the club, Youssef Sañders, said that his target would be the provision of more classrooms in public schools and health facilities, adding that his plan is to assist poor pregnant women who could not afford to settle their hospital bills after delivery.

"Experience has shown that some pregnant women are held back in government hospitals after the delivery of their babies because they are too poor to pay the bill. We have the plan to assist between 150 and 200 women to offset their bills during the 2020/2021Rotarian year," he said.

On #ENDSARS protest, Sanders advised the government to engage the youths adding, "once we engage the youths, we will all have a better country because the youths are the future of every country."

In his speech, the vice-chancellor, Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Professor Mohammed Mustapha-Akanbi, advised the Rotary Club International to fight fake news on social media if it wants its community projects to have impacts on the society.

The vice-chancellor also said that no projects can succeed in a community where fake news circulates.

According to the Professor of Law, "Rotary club can help in this regard to use its four ways test to determine what is fake news especially by subjecting it to these questions; whether it is the truth, is it fair to all concerned, is it building goodwill and better friendship? These are questions that anyone who wants to spread news need to ask himself or herself before sending any news.

"I believe that if Rotary club will emphasise these four ways test, our society is going to get a better focus on community development, fall back on this your four ways test in assisting the government in putting an end to fake news," he said.

He also stressed the need for Rotary club to assist small organisations as a club of intellectual and experienced people in the area of community development noting, that small organisations that are trying to put development projects in rural communities don't have the goodwill that Rotary club has, advising that Rotary club should offer technical assistance to small organisations which will go a long way in telling their stories.

"Many of these non-governmental organisations rely on friends to raise money, your members can give technical assistance in the way of training while their impact in the society will be tremendous," he said.

Speaking earlier, the outgone president of the club, Mrs Oluwatoyin Musa, said that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the programmes of the club during the 2019/2020 year, adding that club provided PPE materials to support the goverment fight of the pandemic.