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Rotary

Club of Victoria Island

Who we are

About our club

Chartered in 1981, we sit at the heart of Victoria Island's professional community. Part of Rotary District 9112, covering Lagos.

Our story

The Rotary Club of Victoria Island was chartered in 1981 by a group of business and professional leaders who believed the talent concentrated on Victoria Island should go back into the community around it. The founding president, Frank Akinrele (SAN), set an ambitious tone from day one.

In over four decades the club has worked on hundreds of projects: borehole sinking in Badagry, kidney dialysis at LUTH, the Girls' Education Initiative, and Global Rotary Radio, now heard across twelve West African countries.

We are part of Rotary District 9112, collaborating with clubs across Lagos and Ogun States on joint service grants and district conferences. As part of Rotary International's global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers, we combine local insight with international resources and grant funding.

Our club meets every Thursday at 6:30 PM at the Lagos Motor Boat Club, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. Visiting Rotarians and guests are always welcome.

Chartered

1981

District

9112

Current theme

Create Lasting Impact

RI President 2026/27

PP Olayinka Babalola

Meeting

Thursdays · 6:30 PM

Venue

Lagos Motor Boat Club, Ikoyi

Rotary year 2026–27

Monthly themes

Each month, Rotary clubs worldwide focus on a theme. These guide our programmes, speakers and service projects throughout the year.

View the official calendar
  1. July 2026

    Maternal and Child Health

    Improving access to quality care for mothers and children, so fewer lives are lost to preventable causes.

    • 1 July: Beginning of the Rotary year
  2. August 2026

    Membership and New Club Development

    Welcoming new members and starting new clubs to grow our capacity to serve.

    • 15 August: Interact Club Excellence Award nominations are due
  3. September 2026

    Basic Education and Literacy

    Supporting schools, teachers and learners so every child can read, write and thrive.

  4. October 2026This month

    Community Economic Development

    Creating opportunity through skills, enterprise and jobs that help communities prosper.

    • Rotary Alumni Reconnect Week: Monday to Sunday during the week of 7 October
    • 24 October: World Polio Day
  5. November 2026

    Rotary Foundation

    Celebrating The Rotary Foundation, which turns gifts into grants for lasting change around the world.

    • 2 November: World Interact Day
    • World Interact Week: Monday to Sunday during the week of 5 November, Interact's anniversary
  6. December 2026

    Disease Prevention and Treatment

    Fighting disease through prevention, education and access to treatment, including the push to end polio.

  7. January 2027

    Vocational Service

    Using our professional skills to serve others and promote high ethical standards at work.

    • Mid-January: International Assembly, Orlando, Florida, USA
  8. February 2027

    Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention

    Building understanding and dialogue to help communities live in peace.

    • 23 February: Rotary's anniversary
  9. March 2027

    Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

    Bringing clean water, sanitation and hygiene to the communities that need them most.

    • World Rotaract Week: Monday to Sunday during the week of 13 March
    • 13 March: Rotaract's anniversary
    • 31 March: Last day for the regular registration rate for the Rotary International Convention (late rate from 1 April)
  10. April 2027

    Environment

    Protecting and restoring the environment for the generations that follow.

    • 30 April: Rotary International Convention registration and ticket cancellations are due
  11. May 2027

    Youth Service

    Empowering young leaders through Interact, Rotaract, RYLA and youth exchange.

  12. June 2027

    Rotary Fellowships& Rotary International Convention

    Connecting Rotarians who share a passion, and gathering the Rotary world at the International Convention.

    • 26–30 June: Rotary International Convention, Barcelona, Spain
    • 30 June: Club Excellence Award nominations are due
Heritage

45 years of service

Use arrow keys or click a year to explore each chapter.

Year 1 of 46

1981

/82

President

Frank Akinrele (SAN)

RI Theme

“Mankind is the Answer”

Headline project

Club chartered — first service projects in Victoria Island

  1. 1981/82: Frank Akinrele (SAN) — “Mankind is the Answer” — Club chartered — first service projects in Victoria Island
  2. 1982/83: Adebayo Ogundipe — “Demonstrate Rotary Cares” — Medical outreach to Lagos Island General Hospital
  3. 1983/84: Theo Ogunbiyi — “Rotary Serves Humanity” — Borehole sinking — Badagry community
  4. 1984/85: Edmond Oluwseun Solarin — “Rotary Serves the World” — Primary school renovation, Lagos Island
  5. 1985/86: Olashinde Akinsete — “Bridging the Gap” — Youth vocational training programme launched
  6. 1986/87: Olumide Ogundipe — “Rotary Brings Hope” — Maternal health outreach — 200 beneficiaries
  7. 1987/88: Emmanuel Olowokere — “Be a Friend” — Interact Club chartered at King's College, Lagos
  8. 1988/89: Anthony Osagie Egbe — “Rotary — The Spirit of Service” — Eye screening clinic — 450 patients seen
  9. 1989/90: Simiyu Oyetunji — “Discover a New World of Service” — Scholarship fund established for secondary students
  10. 1990/91: Ebenezer Olufemi — “Act with Integrity” — District conference hosted — over 300 Rotarians
  11. 1991/92: Samuel Njoku — “Create Awareness — Take Action” — Clean water project — Ikorodu community
  12. 1992/93: Babatunde Marsha — “Real Happiness Is Helping Others” — Vocational training for 80 out-of-school youth
  13. 1993/94: Mobolaji St. Mathew Daniel — “Rotarians at Work” — Rotaract Club affiliated — Victoria Island
  14. 1994/95: Bayo Kumolu Johnson — “Service Above Self” — Polio immunisation drives — 1,200 children vaccinated
  15. 1995/96: Omowale Kuye — “Be a Gift to the World” — Maternal and child health clinic — 600 patients
  16. 1996/97: Dominic Ekesi — “Building Communities, Bridging Continents” — Girls' secondary scholarship — first 8 recipients
  17. 1997/98: Sunmade Agbe Davies — “Rotary: A Tradition of Service” — Vocational skills centre opened in Ajegunle
  18. 1998/99: Laz Iloka — “Follow Your Rotary Dream” — Sanitation project — Lagos waterfront communities
  19. 1999/00: Laz Iloka (continued) — “Look Beyond Yourself” — Literacy drive — 300 adults enrolled
  20. 2000/01: Tunde Abolaji — “Rotary: A Century of Service” — Centenary grant — dialysis centre equipment
  21. 2001/02: Festus Obayiuwana — “Humanity in Motion” — HIV/AIDS awareness campaign across VI secondary schools
  22. 2002/03: Omotsola Kpiasi — “Sow the Seeds of Love” — Girls' education initiative formally launched
  23. 2003/04: Fred Ijewere — “Lend a Hand” — Medical outreach to Badagry — 800 patients
  24. 2004/05: Kinsley Ikpe — “Imagine Rotary” — Borehole and water storage for 3 schools
  25. 2005/06: Tokunbo Madarikan — “Another Way of Seeing” — Kidney dialysis programme planning begins
  26. 2006/07: Tunji Tinuoye — “Lead the Way” — Dialysis support fund established with LUTH
  27. 2007/08: Peter Odili — “Make Dreams Real” — Victoria Island coastal clean-up — 5 tonnes removed
  28. 2008/09: K. O. Balogun — “Rotary Connects the World” — Skills training — 120 beneficiaries placed in employment
  29. 2009/10: Sade Thomas-Fahm — “The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands” — Food security project — 500 families supported
  30. 2010/11: Lateef Hussain — “Building Communities, Bridging Continents” — 30th anniversary — new dialysis machines donated to LUTH
  31. 2011/12: Bola Nakpodia — “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity” — 30th anniversary gala — funds raised for scholarship endowment
  32. 2012/13: Priscillia Kuye — “Peace Through Service” — Clean water project — Eti-Osa communities
  33. 2013/14: Martins Okovwurie — “Engage Rotary, Change Lives” — Maternal and child health — 900 beneficiaries
  34. 2014/15: Ime Udoma — “Light Up Rotary” — Kidney dialysis centre partnership expanded to 3 hospitals
  35. 2015/16: Pauline Onibudo — “Be a Gift to the World” — Girls' Education Initiative — 40 active scholars
  36. 2016/17: Adeyinka Adedeji — “Rotary Serving Humanity” — Three dialysis machines donated — 18 new patients enrolled
  37. 2017/18: Olabowale Johnson — “Rotary: Making a Difference” — Girls' scholarship recipients reach 50 cumulative
  38. 2018/19: John Obasi — “Be the Inspiration” — Vocational training — 120 youth placed in certified programmes
  39. 2019/20: John Obasi (continued) — “Rotary Connects the World” — COVID-19 PPE distribution — 2,000 packs to front-line workers
  40. 2020/21: Fred Ijewere — “Rotary Opens Opportunities” — Global Rotary Radio launched — West Africa's first Rotary broadcast
  41. 2021/22: Joyce Ukpong — “Serve to Change Lives” — Global Rotary Radio reaches listeners in 12 West African countries
  42. 2022/23: Kunle Olatunbosun — “Imagine Rotary” — Girls' Education Initiative — 60 cumulative scholars
  43. 2023/24: Adedolapo Akinrele (SAN) — “Create Hope in the World” — End Polio partnership — 4 drives with Nigeria NPI
  44. 2024/25: Best Okoduwa — “The Magic of Rotary” — Community water access — 3 villages, 4,000 residents served
  45. 2025/26: Olisa Ebigwei — “Unite for Good” — Ongoing projects — dialysis, education, youth
  46. 2026/27: Gertrude Onyewuche — “Create Lasting Impact” — Current Rotary year — serving under RI President PP Olayinka Babalola
Board 2026/27

Our officers

Gertrude Onyewuche

Gertrude Onyewuche

President

OJ

PP Olabowale Johnson

Vice President

OA

Olu Akanbi

President Elect

SO

PAG Sunday Oguntade

Secretary

SO

Sophie Obi

Treasurer

EO

Ehiosu Odeh

Membership Chair

OA

Oluwatobi Ayeni

Youth Service Chair

DA

PP Dolapo Akinrele

Rotary Foundation Chair

YO

Yetty Ogunnubi

Service Projects Chair

DE

Dominic Edokpolo

We Care Chair

AO

Abiodun Owolewa

Public Image Chair

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