…light torch of unity and service in Abuja
By Gloria Ikibah
Rotary International District 9127 Nigeria commenced activities to mark its 121st anniversary, with leaders in Nigeria highlighting the organisation’s long history of service, global impact and growing youth engagement. 
The anniversary celebrations was formally flagged off on Tuesday, 14 January 2025, during a press briefing held at the Rotary Centre in Abuja.
Addressing journalists, the District Governor of Rotary International District 9127, Dame (Dr) Princess Joy Nky Okoro, traced the organisation’s journey from its modest beginnings to its present global footprint.
“Rotary International’s story starts in 1905 in Chicago, USA, with Paul P. Harris, a lawyer, and his friends,” she said.
Okoro who explained that the founders sought to create a space where professionals can meet, build friendships and give back to their communities, added that the name Rotary emerged from the practice of rotating meetings among members’ workplaces.
The District Governor outlined key milestones in Rotary’s evolution, noting that the first Rotary Club was formed on 23 February 1905, before the organisation became the National Association of Rotary Clubs in 1910 and later adopted the name Rotary International in 1912.
She recalled that by 1922, Rotary had expanded beyond North America, with clubs established in Canada and Cuba, stressing that Rotary continued to grow through challenging periods such as the Great Depression and the Second World War, driven by its commitment to service and fellowship.
According to her, the organisation also played a role in the establishment of UNICEF in 1945.
Highlighting Rotary’s most prominent global initiative, she said, “One of their biggest successes is the effort to wipe out polio worldwide, since the launch of the Rotary Foundation’s Polio Plus programme in 1985, polio cases had been reduced by 99.9 per cent globally, with only a few countries still reporting cases”.
Okoro described Rotary’s present-day reach, stating that the organisation now has over 1.4 million members across more than 200 countries.
“Rotary International has over 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries, working on projects like polio eradication, promoting peace, and supporting education and healthcare.
“Rotary’s core values are service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership. Their projects often focus on making a tangible difference in local communities and globally.
“Rotary International’s humanitarian projects and global initiatives are a big part of who we are.
“One of their biggest successes is the effort to wipe out polio worldwide. Since 1988, Rotary’s Polio Plus program has helped reduce polio cases by 99.9% globally, with only a handful of countries still reporting cases”, she said.
She listed Rotary’s major initiatives to include Rotary Peace Fellowships, youth exchange programmes and community service projects addressing literacy, healthcare, sanitation, clean water and disaster relief.
“Our community service projects are top niche and unique. They’re all about making a difference locally and globally,” she noted.
Focusing on Nigeria, the district governor said the country currently has six Rotary districts, over 500 clubs and more than 9,000 Rotarians drawn from across the country.
She also emphasised that the organisation’s strong youth structure, noting the presence of over 3,000 Rotaractors, as well as Interactors in secondary schools and Rotakids in primary schools.
“The aim of this structure is to groom them young into learning how to share and serve humanity,” she said.
Okoro decried that the current economic situation is affecting payment of district dues by Rotary Clubs in the district, resulting in deregistering of members on the Rotary International portal.
Delivering the welcome address, District Chair of the Rotary Day Celebration Committee for the 2025–2026 Rotary Year, Rotarian Mohammed Adama, made a stirring call for unity, continuity and renewed commitment to service, as leaders and members of Rotary International gathered to commemorate 121 years of the organisation’s global impact.
She described the occasion as far more than a ceremonial gathering and said the celebration symbolised Rotary’s enduring mission and evolving future.
“Today is not an event, but a moment. It is not a gathering, it is a convergence of legacies. And it is not just a joint fellowship, it is a spiritual, symbolic, and strategic alignment of everything Rotary has been, everything Rotary is, and everything Rotary is becoming.
“Today, we are not simply unveiling a torch, we are revealing our collective destiny,” she said.
Reflecting on Rotary’s origins, Adama reminded participants that the organisation began modestly more than a century ago, adding that those early ideals have since grown into a powerful global movement, with District 9127 standing as a testament to that growth.
“When Rotary began 121 years ago, it did not begin with wealth, power, or global influence. It began with four people, who believed that friendship could become service, and service could become transformation,” he said.
“What began as a circle has become a movement. What began as an idea has become a global force for good. And that, dear Rotarians and partners, is what we are celebrating,” she added.
Central to the ceremony was the symbolic unveiling and lighting of the RODAC torch, which Adama said represented the heart of Rotary’s mission rather than a physical object.
She explained that the torch symbolised real human impact and the significance of the day lay in collective ownership and shared purpose.
“This torch we unveil today is not made of wax, fire, or metal. It is made of commitment. It is fuelled by service. And it is carried by every Rotarian and Rotaractor who has refused to look away from human need.
“The child who returned to school, the mother who received medical care, the youth who found leadership, and the community that found hope.
“Today is not owned by any club, it is owned by every heart that believes Rotary still matters. Today is not about hierarchy, it is about humanity. Today is not about history alone, it is about the future we are daring to build together,” she said.
The RODAC Chair emphasised intergenerational unity as the foundation of Rotary’s future in the district and urged Rotarians to allow the spirit of the occasion to extend beyond the event itself.
“The future of Rotary in District 9127 will not be built by one generation alone. It will be built by all generations standing together.
“So let this moment echo beyond this hall. Let it echo in our clubs, in our projects, in our communities, and in our commitment,” she said.
She added that wherever the torch travels, it should affirm one enduring truth: “That Rotary is not growing old. Rotary is growing stronger.”
The RODAC torch will travel round the 16 states in District 9127, in the next 30 days demonsti g a shared commitment to what Rotary means and stands for.
The anniversary celebrations are expected to feature a series of activities showcasing Rotary’s humanitarian work and its continued commitment to service above self.
