Sixty days may seem like a short period in the life of an organisation, but leadership is not measured only by the amount of time available. It is measured by what a leader chooses to do with that time.
On July 1, 2026, Rtn. Dr. Kester Awani assumed office as President of the Rotary Club of Eleko Golden with a clear philosophy: a Rotary presidency should be about more than occupying an office for one year. It should be about using that year to create lasting impact.
Sixty days into his tenure, that philosophy is already taking shape through initiatives spanning environmental sanitation, maternal and child health, disease prevention, leadership development, youth empowerment, membership development and community engagement.
But Awani did not arrive at Rotary without a history of service.
Long before becoming a Rotarian, he had embraced philanthropy and community development as part of his personal commitment to giving back to society. Through the Dr. Kester Awani Foundation, he has been involved in efforts aimed at making a difference in the lives of people and communities.
For him, therefore, service is not simply an obligation attached to a Rotary office. It is a personal value that predates his membership of the organisation.
That background is important in understanding the approach he has brought to his presidency of the Rotary Club of Eleko Golden. He comes to Rotary not only as a Rotarian, but as a philanthropist with an established commitment to community development and as a seasoned serial entrepreneur, project manager and business leader with years of experience in building enterprises, managing people, coordinating projects, solving problems and turning ideas into tangible outcomes.
These experiences have shaped his understanding of leadership.
Entrepreneurship teaches you to identify opportunities where others see problems. Project management teaches you that good intentions must be matched by planning, execution, accountability and measurable outcomes. Business leadership teaches you how to mobilise people, manage resources, build partnerships and make difficult decisions. Philanthropy teaches something equally important: that success carries with it a responsibility to give back.
Awani brings all of these experiences to Rotary.
It is perhaps this combination that explains the deliberate character of his first 60 days in office. His focus has not been simply on activity, visibility or ceremony, but on creating interventions that respond to genuine community needs while developing people who can continue the work.
His approach is rooted in a simple but profound question: When a leader leaves office, what should remain?
The answer, in his view, should be better people, healthier communities, stronger institutions, empowered young leaders and a culture of service that continues long after the person who initiated it has moved on.
That philosophy was evident in one of the Club’s early environmental interventions at the Sangotedo Ultra Modern Market, where the Rotary Club of Eleko Golden supported a community sanitation initiative and donated waste bins to promote responsible waste management.
It may be easy to underestimate an intervention such as the donation of waste bins. Yet, in a community where markets are central to economic and social life, proper waste disposal has implications for public health, environmental sustainability and the dignity of those who work and live there.
The intervention therefore went beyond cleaning a marketplace. It was about encouraging a change in behaviour and reminding members of the community that environmental responsibility cannot be left entirely to government or sanitation authorities. Communities themselves must become active participants in preserving the environments in which they live and work.
This practical approach to service has also been evident in the Club’s focus on maternal and child health.
Through its Mother and Child and Disease Prevention programme at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, the Club brought attention to maternal health, child development, mother-and-child bonding and community awareness.
The programme reflected an understanding that the wellbeing of mothers and children is not merely a healthcare issue. It is a development issue. When mothers are healthier, children have better opportunities to thrive, families are strengthened and communities become more resilient.
The Club subsequently reinforced this commitment through a virtual training programme themed “How Every Rotarian Can Save the Life of a Mother or Child.”
The training focused on emergency response, first aid, blood donation, health education and advocacy, with the underlying message that the ability to make a difference in a medical emergency should not be restricted to healthcare professionals.
A Rotarian who knows how to respond appropriately in an emergency, a citizen who understands the importance of blood donation, or an individual who can recognise a potentially life-threatening situation and seek help promptly can become a critical link in saving a life.