Giving Is Passport To Peace, Development, Says Rotary Governor

Rotary International District 9127 District Governor, Sikiru Owonikoko, has described giving as a passport to peace and development.

He urged Nigerians to embrace generosity and contribute towards building an inclusive and peaceful society.

Owonikoko made the call at the 2026 Rotary Foundation Dinner of District 9127 in Abuja, where he 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 capable of addressing societal challenges and creating 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 described the dinner as a celebration of compassion, generosity and collective commitment to humanitarian service, noting that the Rotary Foundation transforms goodwill and financial contributions into practical interventions that improve lives.

He urged participants to renew their commitment to philanthropy, saying, “Every contribution tells a story. Every act of generosity creates an opportunity. And every life we touch reminds us why we serve.”

Similarly, Chairman of the dinner’s Organising Committee, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, highlighted the impact of Rotary’s humanitarian initiatives, identifying patients requiring critical care, people needing hearing aids and polio survivors requiring prosthetic support as beneficiaries.

He cited intensive care support at the National Hospital, hearing aid interventions and prosthetic assistance through Cedarcrest Hospital as examples of projects funded through charitable contributions.

“Our contributions become treatment, equipment and opportunity. They reach people we never meet, but whose lives we have the privilege to improve,” he said.

Oluwagbemi urged guests, including longstanding donors and first-time contributors, to deepen their support for the Rotary Foundation, stressing that every contribution strengthens its capacity to deliver humanitarian services.

Owonikoko 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.