Rotary pioneers sports festival to boost wellbeing
Rotary International District 9112 on Saturday flagged off a week-long sports festival aimed at enhancing the mental and physical wellbeing of its members while promoting peace and fostering relationships among Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike.
The event, tagged ROSFEST, which runs from February 28 to March 7, features 12 sporting activities including golf, draughts, snookers, volleyball and football.
During the opening ceremony at the Rotary Centre in Ikeja, GRA, Rotarian Olufemi Adenekan, Pioneer District Governor, District 9112 2024-2025, said; “We are here for the official flag-off of our sports festival for Rotary International District 9112.
“We have done the lighting of the torch event about two months ago. And yesterday (Friday), we had the golf competition where we tee off in the morning and were able to reward all the participants in the evening with a dinner.”
According to Adenekan, the sports festival initiative began last Rotary year under District 9110, but was continued by District 9112, which was created on July 1, 2024.
“The athletes are going to go away with gifts, but this event is not necessarily because we want to reward them with some money, but for purpose of ensuring that we keep ourselves physically fit and mentally strong,” he added.
Rotarian Alozie Nsirimobi, Past President of Rotary Club of Gbagada and Chairman of Rotary Sports Activities Committee 2024-2025, said that the sports festival provided an opportunity for members to get healthy together.
“We are taking action as the Rotary should be known as an organization that takes care of its members,” Nsirimobi said.
“This provides us with an opportunity to come together, have fun and address our physical and mental wellness.”
The festival schedule included indoor games such as draughts, snookers, ayo/olopon, scrabble, and chess on March 1, followed by table tennis, tennis, swimming, sprinting, relay race, tug of war, and football events throughout the week, culminating in an award dinner on March 7.
Representing the Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission, Principal Sports Officer Ayo Akinfemisoye attended the ceremony, while United Nigeria Airlines supported the event as a sponsor.
United Nigeria Airlines Chief Commercial Officer, Raphael Uchegbu, expressed delight in partnering with Rotary saying, “We are very happy to be a partner and a sponsor and we assure you that we will still continue to be a sponsor as we go on.”
The airline has offered tickets as prizes that allow winners to fly to any destination served by United Nigeria Airlines.
