Felix Obadan's presentation at the Reach out to Africa "Off and Running" Meeting in Livingstone, Zambia on 22-23 July, 2012

1. District Governor Felix A.E. Obadan
Rotary International District 9125
INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP DURING THE
ROTARY YEAR 2011/2012

2. MEMBER EXTENSION
The biggest factor responsible for increase in
Membership of our District in 2011/2012
Rotary Year is the formation of New Clubs.
The following Clubs were chartered in
2011/2012.

3. Name of Club Club ID Number Membership at 30/6/12 Charter Date
1) RC Yola (AUN) 84184 36 25-Nov-2011
2) RC Ilorin Metro 84337 30 09-Mar-2012
3) RC Abuja Central 84315 28 09-Mar-2012
4) RC Abuja Maitama 84457 32 03-May-2012
5) RC Ibadan Jericho Metro 84406 26 10-Apr-2012
6) RC Ibadan Forestry 84608 25 22-Jun-2012
7) Abuja New Dawn (Prov.)

4. The following are some of
the strategy and
approach used in the
formation of the New
Clubs

5. FORMING CLUBS IN HIGHER INSTITUTION OF
LEARNING
 We observed that many Institutions of Higher
Learning in Nigeria are large communities of
different professionals running the Institution
– both academic and non-academic
 In addition several professional and business
men are doing business with the Institution.
So we saw a great opportunity to form Rotary
Clubs around these Higher Institutions of
Learning

6. FORMING CLUBS WITH BULK MEMBERSHIP OF
MATURED AND MARRIED PROFESSIONAL
LADIES AND BUSINESS WOMEN
 We observed that many lady Potential Rotary Materials are
finding it difficult to join existing Rotary Clubs because of our
cultural constraints and the timing and venue of Rotary Club
Meetings
 In order to capture these ladies for Rotary, we formed a
Rotary Club in Abuja around these ladies; The Rotary Club
of Maitama
 The Club chose their Lunch break time and a decent venue
and this has attracted several matured professional ladies
and Business women. There are a number of men in this
Club as well.

7. FORMING MODEL CLUBS AS REFERENCE POINT
OF MINIMUM STANDARD
 We observed some of our clubs are in bad
shape and their meeting venues are not
decent enough for inviting quality
professionals and business men to join the
clubs
 We therefore started to form new clubs
with minimum standard expected of a
good Rotary Club; we called them Model
Clubs

8. THE MINIMUM STANDARD FOR MODELS
INCLUDE
 Persons whose income are high enough to pay minimum
dues of 50, 000 naira ($320) per annum
 Can afford a meal at hotel/venue of Meeting every week
 Can pay a minimum of $100 to Rotary Foundation every
year. (iv) Have expertise in important areas of Humanitarian
project formulation.
 Have a bit of discretion over their time usage in the normal
course of their business.
 Also we target group of friends who normally flock together
because of the bond of friendship amongst them. They are
likely to stick together which will enhance stable
membership strength of the club.

9. FORMING CLUBS WITH BULK OF
MEMBERS WHO ARE MUSLIM OF
NORTHERN NIGERIA ORIGIN
 We observed that in our District a large chunk of the population are
Muslim of Northern origins
 These are elite professional and business men of Northern origin and
they are not joining Rotary partly due to misconception and
misinformation of what Rotary is all about
 We therefore started to form a Club with bulk membership from Muslim
of Northern Nigerian origin, using existing Rotarians in various clubs
 This is what led to the formation of Rotary Club of Abuja Central
 The idea is to use this Rotary Club as an example to the Northern
Muslim professional and businessmen that Rotary is good and is doing
good in the communities
 And that it is in order to be a Rotarian. If this experiment succeeds, it will
break the bad label being put on Rotary as a Zionist organization and
millions of Muslim Professional and businessmen of Northern Origin can
now start to join Rotary Clubs in Droves throughout the District.

10. LAUDABLE PROJECT BY CLUBS ATTRACTING
MORE MEMBERS
 We observed that a number of clubs who have
shown increase in Membership are those Clubs
who have been carrying out laudable projects in
their communities
 So that a lot of other professional and business
men who desire to put something back into the
society joined these Clubs to fulfill their desires of
adding value to the societies and communities

11. BOND OF FRIENDSHIP AND GREAT FELLOWSHIP
 We also observed that a number of clubs
whose members constantly bond together
and have great fellowship within and outside
Club fellowship time tend to not only maintain
stable membership but have constantly being
increasing in membership

12. YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AND ROTARY FAMILY
MEMBERS (FUTURE PLANS)
 We intend to continue the membership drive
through extension by forming new clubs with our
Young professionals, some whom are former
Rotaractors and our family members like our sons,
daughters, brothers, sisters and cousins
 These are people who have been associated with
Rotary either directly (as Rotaractors) or indirectly
(family members) over the years
 So Rotary is not really new to them, so all we need
to do is to encourage them.

13. DEDICATED AND COMMITTED ROTARY LEADERS
PASSIONATE ABOUT MEMBERSHIP
 One of the factors responsible for the increase through
extension is the dedication, commitment and passion for
membership exhibited by some of our Rotary Leaders in the
District
 For example, PDG Joshua Hassan was responsible for the
formation of the three clubs formed in Abuja
 PDG Obafunsho Ogunkeye worked hard to bring Rotary
club of Ibadan Jericho Metro into life
 AG Jumoke Bamigboye worked hard to form Ilorin Metro
and I as a DGN worked hard to form Rotary Club of Yola
(AUN).

14. REPLICATE ALL THE SUCCESS IN OTHER PARTS
OF THE DISTRICT
We intend to replicate the
success recorded in other parts
of the District

15. REACHING OUT TO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
AND BODIES
 We are forming teams to visit various
professional Associations and make
presentation to their members and
formally invite them to some Rotary
Clubs
 This has been successfully done in
Kaduna, one of our biggest cities.

16. R.I. DISTRICT 9125 MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS
 During ROTA last year Membership Strength was – 1278
 Current Membership – 1515
 Net Increase is therefore – 237
 The target set by the immediate Past District Governor – 322
 Short fall in meeting the target – 85
 During ROTA last year I set target of net membership increase – 400
 Together with the shortfall last year of 85 the target increase for this
Rotary Year will be – 485
 During ROTA last year the current DGE Felix Aninze set a target of Net
Membership increase for 2012/2013 – 500
 All things being equal and us meeting our target, then we expect
membership strength of our District by June 30th 2014 to be – 2,500
 As at last year ROTA, number of clubs in our District was – 62
 Now the number of clubs in our District is – 69

17. Thank
You