Women in Rotary Participate in Polio Eradication Awareness Walk across Makoko, Adekunle and Iwaya
Women in Rotary, under Rotary International District 9112, joined other Rotarians, Rotaractors, and community volunteers in a District Polio Eradication Awareness Walk held on Saturday, October 25, 2025, across the Makoko, Adekunle, and Iwaya axis of Lagos. The event was part of activities marking World Polio Day, which is celebrated globally every October 24 to highlight the ongoing fight against poliomyelitis.
The awareness walk was organized to intensify the campaign against polio and to educate residents on the importance of sustaining immunization efforts until the disease is completely eradicated. Participants gathered at the Ayetoro Primary Health Centre on Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, before proceeding through the densely populated communities of Makoko, Adekunle, and Iwaya. During the walk, volunteers distributed information leaflets, engaged parents and caregivers, and encouraged families to ensure that all children under the age of five receive the oral polio vaccine.
The exercise drew a large turnout from Rotary clubs within the district and from community stakeholders who expressed support for Rotary’s long-standing mission to end polio worldwide. The lively procession featured banners and shirts bearing the slogan “End Polio Now,” and attracted considerable attention from residents, many of whom pledged to participate in future immunization exercises.
Highlighting the vital role of women in Rotary’s humanitarian work, Olori Bernitha Hauwa Agboge, Chair of Women in Rotary, District 9112, was among those honoured with a Certificate of Participation for her outstanding contribution to the campaign. She received the certificate from Rotarian Lanre Adedoyin, who commended her leadership and dedication to mobilizing women in support of community health initiatives across Lagos.
Rotarian Lanre Adedoyin is the District Governor of Rotary International District 9112 and a Lagos-based legal practitioner. He has been an active Rotarian for over two decades and is widely recognized for his leadership in promoting community health, education, and humanitarian service across Nigeria.
District leaders praised the Women in Rotary initiative for amplifying awareness and ensuring inclusive participation in the fight against polio. They emphasized that such community-based advocacy helps reinforce Nigeria’s polio-free status through continuous education, vaccination, and monitoring.
Rotary’s PolioPlus initiative, launched globally in 1985, has played a leading role in reducing global polio cases by 99.9 percent. Nigeria, once listed among polio-endemic countries, was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2020 following years of consistent immunization drives and grassroots outreach supported by Rotary International, UNICEF, and other partners.
Saturday’s event in Lagos reaffirmed Rotary’s enduring commitment to safeguarding the health of children and preventing a resurgence of the disease. It also showcased the growing influence of women in Rotary, whose leadership continues to shape the organization’s community development and health advocacy efforts across Nigeria.