Creating lasting impacts: Ikeja Metro Lions Club’s President reflects on a successful service year

Club President, Ikeja Metro Lions Club, Lion Chike Akaeze; Club President-Elect, Lion Adetola Johnson, and Second Vice District Governor-Elect, Lion Phina Origho, District 404B2 Nigeria

Praise Ajudie

Ikeja Metro Lions Club has concluded a remarkable service year, marked by numerous impactful initiatives and achievements.

Speaking at the Lions International District 404B2 Ikeja Metro Lions Club Award and appreciation handover ceremony, the club’s President 2024/2025LSY, Lion Chike Akaeze, NLCF, reflected on the successes, highlighting the club’s commitment to humanitarian and community service.

He commended the great Lions and Leos for their unwavering commitment and support towards achieving a remarkable service year.

The President noted that the Ikeja Metro Lions Club has been committed to humanitarian and community service for over 23 years.

“Under our leadership, the club recorded remarkable success across all service areas, despite facing challenges such as economic hardship and members’ loss of confidence in our system. Some of the notable service activities executed by the club include Club Officer’s Training and Membership Orientation, Orientation talk on keeping a clean and healthy environment, donation of environmental cleaning tools, and an awareness walk against cholera disease.

“ICT training and donation of three brand new HP desktop computer sets to Government Technical College, Agidingbi, Lagos, education on childhood cancer, donation of medical tools to Ikeja Primary Health Care Centre, and awareness walk and education on maintaining healthy sight, donation of eye drops and eyeglasses, free eye screening, and awareness walk. Distribution of food items to over 200 families donation of branded childhood cancer exercise books to students and parents, and an awareness walk

“Mega donation of writing materials and school bags to participating schools and teachers. Awareness walks on managing and thriving with diabetes, and distribution of branded exercise books. Construction and donation of a five-unit modern toilet to Ijaiye Senior Comprehensive High School, Ifako Lagos,” he further noted.

He further commended the Lions and Leos for their steadfastness and great support.

“I also want to solicit more support for the incoming leadership as they will need much more support to surpass and achieve greater results”, he appealed.

Akaeze thanked Charter President Lion Andrew Amadasun, and other Charter members for their efforts to birth the best club in the world Ikeja Metro Lions Club.

“I am bold to say, that joining the Lkeja Metro Lions Club family more than 18 years ago was one of the best decisions of my life and l am proud of what I have become. A no confident young man of then, has now become a celebrated responsible ions leader. This Lions service year would not have recorded so much success, if not for the vibrant dedication, financial support and commitment of great leaders and Lions like you. Our dearest Keja Metro Lions.

“The club is blessed to have such an amazing personality from different works of life, religions and ethnicities. Special thanks to our Service Ambassadors who inspired and went out of their way to make the planned service activity a reality.

“It is worth stating that the 2024-2025 Lions service year started with several challenges because of economic hardship and Members’ loss of confidence in our system. The club went through challenges in financing projects ‘including the core project (thanks to the Partnership of Kiishi Resources LLC, Club Service Ambassadors and Lions) and Prompt payment of Club International due (as a result of some members not paying their membership due and inherited Int’ldue outstanding).

“The journey was rough and with some twist as we also acknowledged areas with low performance however, the club scaled through and performed excellently well. Thank you all for your steadfastness and great support, I want to beg for more support for the Club President-Elect because no leader can succeed alone.

“The Club was well represented in our District functions including all Four Cabinet meetings, Joint District Convention llorin 2025 and Multiple District Convention Osogbo Oroki 2025 and created more awareness about the association through all available media channels,” he stated.

The Incoming Club President, Lion Adetola Johnson, for the 2025-2026 Lions Year, expressed her appreciation for the outgoing President’s leadership and achievements.

She called on members to support her and partner with her in service to the club.

In her speech, the President-Elect said, ” I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me on this journey. As we embark on this new tenure, I assure you that everyone’s interests will be considered, and we’ll work together to achieve our goals.

“Transparency and accountability will guide our actions, and I encourage everyone to ask questions and provide feedback. This club is about collective success, and I believe that together, we can make a significant impact.

“As Lions, we’re catalysts for change, and our projects will focus on uplifting humanity and serving the less privileged in our community,” she assured.

Second Vice District Governor-Elect, Lion Phina Origho, said that the ceremony is not only about recognizing achievements but also it is about celebrating the values that unite them, which are, compassion, service, and a shared vision for a better world.

“Each award presented reflects countless hours of hard work, perseverance, and, most importantly, service to others. As I step into this new leadership role, I am inspired by the caliber of service I see in this room. Let us remember that the true reward lies not in the trophies we hold, but in the lives we touch and the communities we uplift,” Origho added.