Rotary International gets first African president
Jan 28, 2002
A NIGERIAN has been nominated, President of Rotary International (RI) for the years 2003-4, writes Catherine Ntabadde.
A NIGERIAN has been nominated, President of Rotary International (RI) for the years 2003-4, writes Catherine Ntabadde.Jonathan B. Majiyagbe from the Rotary Club of Kano is the first African to take the post.Robert Ssebunnya, governor of district 9200 last Thursday said Majiyagbe will take office on December 1, next year.District 9200 comprises of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Ssebunnya who is also Health minister in Mengo government said, “We are proud to produce a black African leader of RI. This is Rotary’s highest office in the world.â€Ssebunnya said a bigger membership is needed in Africa to support Majiyagbe. He said Rotary supplements the work of governments. A former district 9200 governor, Mr. Nelson Kawalya, said Uganda has about 1,000 Rotarians.Majiyagbe has been a Rotarian since 1967 and served RI as district governor, International Assembly instructor, committee member, chairman and director of the Rotary Foundation.He currently chairs the African Regional PolioPlus and the African Affairs Committees.