12/07/2022
HANDING OVER SPEECH OF RTR. CHIGOZIE I. ALEX, AS CHANGE MAKER PRESIDENT OF RAC KATSINA METROPOLIS - 26/06/2022.
Distinguished Rotarians, amiable Board of directors, fellow Rotaractors and guests of Barr. Paul P. Harris, all protocol duly observed.
I am delighted to be here standing before you this day to give my stewardship report and handover leadership of this great club to Rtr. Lado Bilyaminu Danjuma and his team who shall continue in leadership from the point I stopped to a greater height.
Looking back from the Start of this journey, I must say that it was a difficult mission well accomplished. As my first leadership position in Rotaract, the job was actually more tasking than I thought. There were days I felt tired, there were days I felt frustrated, there were days I ran out of options and days I felt I was left alone to all the tasks, but in the midst of these challenges, passion kept me going. I must say that I am proud of the journey so far.
I took up this office with the club account at zero naira and zero club membership strength with only two active Rotaractors. I had to start anyway and the first step was by building the club membership, I assembled a team of committed fellows and we started this journey as the new members of the club.
Our first program was a membership drive project which saw us visit all the NYSC CDS groups in Katsina to spread the good news of Rotaract, fortunately that got us some new members and we executed another one tagged drug abuse awareness campaign and membership drive, which took us into the streets of Katsina, creating Awareness for our dear club, and after which more members joined.
Then we began our Rotary areas of focus projects from Basic Education and literacy projects, to disease prevention and treatment, peace and conflict resolution, water, sanitation and hygiene and the rest is history.
At the end of our year we were able to execute over 35 projects centered around the Rotary International 7 areas of focus with a total of 385 man hours and a total expenditure of over N1.2 million naira. All these were achieved through strategic, local and international multi district partnerships across rotary as we partnered with other organizations within and outside Rotaract.
Ladies and gentlemen, if I begin listing our achievements for the rotary year I might just take the entire time of the program but the evidence of our hard work was proven when our club won the overall best club of the district at the 13th joint DISCON which held in Abuja few weeks ago. Aside winning the overall best club award, we also won the overall best club in international service and first runner up in vocational service. These awards were based on the selfless humanitarian services we have given to humanity, indeed we have served to change lives.
There’s a popular saying I love so much which says, “he profits most who serves best”. Indeed I have profited a lot serving in Rotaract. Aside the deep insights I have gained in leadership, Rotaract has helped me build great network and friendship across the globe as a result of our international service project collaborations with numerous international Rotaract clubs, thank you Rotaract for the experience.
Like the saying, “everything that has a beginning, has an end”. We have served to the best of our ability and now it’s time to hand over the mantle of leadership for a new captain to steer this ship in the imagine rotary year 2022/2023. Looking back to where we started and where we are today, I can boldly say that we have laid a solid foundation on which this club can thrive.
To my outgoing board of directors, I thank you all for standing strong by me all through the Rotary year, I pray that the good lord reward all your selfless humanitarian services. To the incoming president and board of directors, I encourage you all to keep the fire burning and never let it go down, 1yr sound small but it’s a lot of time so let passion be your front burner in this journey. I pray you achieve greater success and take the Roataract club of Katsina metro to greater heights.
It’s been a privilege to serve you all, thank you and God bless us all.
Rtr. Chigozie Ifeanyichukwu Alex.
Change Maker President, 22/23
