⬆️L-R: The President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Metro, Michael Oluwagbemi, His wife Mrs Abidat Lawal-Oluwagbemi, the Vice Governor for District 9127 , Dr Victor Onukwugha, District Governor for Rotary International District 9127, Engr. Sikiru Adetona Owonikoko and his wife Assistant Governor Zainab Owonikoko chatting during the Rotary Foundation Dinner 2026 of the district in Abuja on Saturday.
Rotary International District 9127 District Governor, Engr. Sikiru Owonikoko, has described giving as a passport to peace and development.
He urged Nigerians to embrace generosity and contribute towards building a more inclusive and peaceful society.
Owonikoko, who spoke at the 2026 Rotary Foundation Dinner of District 9127, in Abuja, said generosity remained an important instrument for bridging socio-economic gaps, promoting unity and improving the lives of less privileged members of society.
He described giving not merely as an act of kindness but also as a moral and divine responsibility that could help address societal challenges and create opportunities for vulnerable people.
“Giving gives hope to the less privileged; it creates bonds in a society; it bridges socio-economic gaps; it fosters unity; and it makes the world safer and better for all of us.
“Giving therefore is a passport to peace and development. More importantly, it is, without a shred of doubt, a divine obligation,” he said.
The District Governor said the Rotary Foundation Dinner was more than a social gathering, describing it as a celebration of compassion, generosity and the collective commitment of individuals to making meaningful differences in society.
He noted that the Foundation provided a platform for transforming goodwill and financial contributions into practical humanitarian interventions that brought hope and improved lives in communities.
Owonikoko also urged participants to use the occasion to renew their commitment to service and philanthropy.
“Every contribution tells a story. Every act of generosity creates an opportunity. And every life we touch reminds us why we serve,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to donors, partners and other stakeholders for supporting the Foundation’s humanitarian mission, urging them to continue giving and serving towards building a better and more peaceful world.
The District Governor reaffirmed Rotary’s commitment to its philosophy of Service Above Self, expressing optimism that sustained generosity and collective action would create lasting positive impacts in communities.
Owonikoko’s call for greater generosity was reinforced by the Chairman of the dinner’s Organising Committee, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, who highlighted some of the beneficiaries of Rotary’s humanitarian initiatives.
Oluwagbemi identified patients requiring critical care, people in need of hearing aids and polio survivors requiring prosthetic support as some of the vulnerable groups whose lives could be transformed through donations to the Foundation.
He cited intensive care support at the National Hospital, hearing aid interventions and prosthetic assistance through Cedarcrest Hospital as examples of projects demonstrating the practical impact of charitable contributions.
According to him, the projects underscore how individual and collective generosity can translate into medical treatment, essential equipment and opportunities for people in need.
“Our contributions become treatment, equipment and opportunity. They reach people we never meet, but whose lives we have the privilege to improve,” he said.
The organising committee chairman urged guests, including longstanding donors and first-time contributors, to deepen their commitment to the Rotary Foundation, stressing that every meaningful contribution strengthened its capacity to deliver humanitarian services.