By IBUKUN EMIOLA

The new Rotary International President-elect, Olayinka Babalola, has pledged to expand the organisation’s presence globally to foster community service, promote peace, and support sustainable development.

Babalola stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after a reception organised in his honour in Ibadan on Saturday by the Rotary District 9126.

NAN reports that the president-elect, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, will be the second African and Nigerian to lead the global humanitarian organisation.

The first African and Nigerian was Jonathan Majiyagbe of the Rotary Club of Kano, who served in 2003/2004.

Babalola said his priority was to grow Rotary in Nigeria, Africa, and around the world to inspire more people to get involved and positively impact society, especially the underprivileged.

“I’m happy and humbled to be the president-elect of Rotary International.

“I am also honoured that this organisation of 1.4 million members, in over 200 countries, decided to entrust me to lead it for the year 2026/2027,” Babalola said.

According to him, his emergence is significant, especially being the second Nigerian in over two decades from the first Nigerian to occupy the position.

“I’m one of those who believe that you need to have a place, that is, your base, as a launch pad.

“People have entrusted me with this leadership role because of my pedigree and results in growing Rotary in Africa and Nigeria.

“For me, we will grow Rotary around the world.

“I will do everything possible to increase our impact worldwide, expand our reach, enhance participants’ engagement, and increase our ability to adapt to future-proof our organisation,” he said.

Babalola said he would use Nigeria and Africa as a signpost of leadership capacity, while urging Nigerian Rotarians to work harder to further entrench Rotary’s ideals.

“We need to work in such a way that when we are done, nobody will have any doubt that Africans can occupy this position,” he said.

NAN reports that Rotary International, founded in 1905, is renowned for its humanitarian projects.

Rotary’s exemplary projects include the fight to eradicate polio, the provision of clean water, support for education, disease prevention, and peacebuilding initiatives worldwide. (NAN)