ROTARY International (District 9110), on Friday, honoured four media houses, including The Guardian Newspapers Limited for their support towards the club's activities.
Publisher, Lady Maiden Ibru, received the award on behalf of The Guardian.
The event, tagged: An Evening with the Media, was held at Rotary Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, and was attended by former chairman of The Punch, Chief Ajibola Ogunsola; publisher of Vanguard, Chief Sam Amuka-Pemu (represented by the Editor, Vanguard, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon). The publisher, This Day, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, was absent.
In his address, District 9110 Governor, Kamoru Omotosho, said: "It is time to express our appreciation for support received from the various media houses. Rotary International, of late, has been very biblical with the injunction that what you do with your right hand, do not let your left hand know. But we have discovered that we need to re-orientate to cover a lot of grounds by identifying with professionals, like you, to tell the world what we are doing with full consciousness that with your co-operation, we would change the world and make life more comfortable for people.
"We also owe our gratitude to other media houses that have also been supportive. But we have decided to honour only this four, for now. You have made us feel so proud, particularly, this year. And we believe we should move forward by fully identifying with you too, through a programme of this nature.
"We have also thought that our media practitioners should not just be friends of Rotary but that should they too become Rotarians, they would feel more committed. We appreciate the caliber of people you are, as distinguished professionals, and believe you would feel at home with the crop of professionals that the Rotary Club International is made up of.
"At this juncture, we like to say that we will keep coming back to you and, as well, keep thanking you more and more."
The Chairman, Public Relations Committee, Larry Agose, in his welcome address, said Rotary International is "doing this to appreciate the culture of giving to which we too are committed, and would continue to render to Nigerians."
Expressing her appreciation, Lady Maiden Ibru said she is delighted at the presentation.
According to her, "We will continue to support Rotary International all over the World. It is the least we can do because part of our philosophy at The Guardian is also to reach out to people through social responsibility.
"We know you are always making every attempt to raise funds to carry out your activities, so the least we can do is to actually give you those advertisements for free. Advertisements are now very expensive. A page goes for the sum of N600,000. Anytime you see a page or half a page, it is a lot of money. Above all, I thank you very much for this honour, today."
Ogunsola and Bayagbon equally appreciated the gesture, pledging their continued support for Rotary International.
In his closing remark, past District Governor, Rotary Club of Palmgrove Estate and Chief Operating Officer, The Guardian, Dr. Alex Thomopulos, appreciated "the presence of media houses, reporters, editors and particularly members of the Public Relations Committee, District 9110, which include my humble self, without whom the event of today would not have taken place."
The Guardian