…Says He Has Missionary Disposition To Rotary
…Says He Feels Fulfilled Because He Embarked On Two Major Impactful Projects
By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The immediate past President of Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, Rotn. Max Amuchie has expressed satisfaction that he ended open defecation at a public school in a community called Gidan Gimba, Nasarawa State during his tenure.
Rotn Max also stressed that he has missionary disposition to Rotary which he later found out that the objectives of Rotary are in sinc with what in his faith as Catholic, is called “Corporal work of mercy”.
Rotn Max who stated these on Saturday in his valedictory speech before handing over to the club’s new president, Aisha Ali, expressed delight that the Club under his leadership, embarked on two impactful projects, even though the second one is yet to be completed.
Sundiata Post recalls that Gidan Gimba is the adopted community of Rotary Club of Abuja CBD.
Max Amuchie, said he is making his statements on the note of gratitude, thanked God for the opportunity to serve and also thanked members of Rotary Club of Abuja CBD for finding him worthy to be their President.
He recalled that in Rotary, handover is an annual ritual that started since 1905 and that everyone has his reason or motivation for joining Rotary, adding that as human beings are different, so are their individual dispositions.
On what inspired him to continue after joining Rotary, Rotn Max has this to say:
“As a Catholic, I came to Rotary and I saw that the objectives of Rotary are in sinc with what we call Corporal work of mercy in Catholic Church. In corporal work of mercy in Catholic Church, we talk about giving shelter to who needs it, visiting the sick, burying the dead, feeding the hungry and so on. Just as there are seven areas of focus in Rotary, there are also seven acts of charity in the Catholic Church. When I saw that there was a nexus between Rotary and my faith, I got more encouraged. So when I have a missionary disposition to Rotary it should be understood in the context of my background and for me that has also defined my engagement with our adopted community, Gidan Gimba,” he said.
“The first time I went to Gidan Gimba was during the presidency of Rotn Martins Odeh when I joined the club. We went to Gidan Gima and I took part in administeting the polio vaccine on the children. That was my first time and for me who is not a medical person I said oh so even as a non-medical person I have this opportunity to administer this oral polio vaccine to a child? It is an experience that was overwhelming. And I said any day I got the opportunity of being president I will do something in that community. So when the opportunity came for me to be president, I met PAG Evelyn Onyilo and I said I will like to put a health clinic in Gidan Gimba and I ask her what is next in our strategic project.
So I told her when I take over I will tell the Board this is what I have in mind. So when my predecessor, Rotn Anne Uche Obi was about to conclude her tenure and we went on a visit to Gidan Gimba and we now asked the people in the community and they said they already have a clinic that their greatest need was to have additional classrooms in their primary school. In a school that runs classes from primary 1 to primary 6, only one block of two classrooms was standing. So we felt there was an urgent need for intervention. That is the reason why we went to Gidan Gimba. For me it was missionary disposition that I have. Fortunately, we got the classroom up to lintel level but we have completed the three toilets – one for the boys, one for the girls and the third one for the teachers.
When we went to commission the toilet, the reporter that spoke with the headteacher told me when we were going home that the headteacher of the school, a lady, told her that anytime they went to the bush to ease themselves, that the villagers would be laughing at them and that they always felt embarrassed. I was touched. When I heard that I told myself that we made the right decision. Just by our intervention, we have ended open defecation in that primary school in Nasarawa State. It is something that gives me joy. It is not that I did it alone, it was a collective responsibility and I really appreciate everyone who assisted to make it a reality.
Rotn Max Amuchie who ended his speech with the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt to the effect that “the future belongs those who believe in the beauty of their dream”, said Rotary is a Club that believes in the beauty of its dreams and goes further to actualize those dreams.” He added that as a club that believes in its dreams, members of Rotary Club of Abuja CBD dreamt that they will end open defecation in the public primary school in Gidan Gimba and they made it happen.
He finally stated that in 2022/2023, Rotary Club of Abuja CBD imagined a world of possibilities and in 2023/2024, they are creating hope in the world and that there is no person who the caps fits better to take them to that world than PE Aisha Ali. Stressing that she is a tested hand who has served the Club in various capacities and that she knows her way around the District. Max Amuchie expressed confidence that he is leaving the club in a safe hands.
The highpoint of the occasion is the handing over to PE Aisha Ali as the seventh President of the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD.
In her remarks after taking over the mantle of leadership, Rotn Aisha said that her sentiment has been taken away. According to her, as the 7th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, it’s a safe landing for her and that she is lucky. She said she is counting on all the past presidents of the Club to take up their first responsibility as a Rotarian to take Rotary Club of Abuja CBD to greater heights.
Earlier before the handover and taking over, Rotary Club of Abuja CBD 2022-2023 merit awards were given to eight Board members and certificates of service were given to six other members.
