Olayinka Babalola, Rotary International President, spoke candidly with Dr. Reuben Abati on Arise News about his historic role, Rotary growth in Africa, and creating lasting impact through service
Olayinka Akin Babalola, the 2026-27 president of Rotary International and the second Nigerian to hold the position, appeared yesterday on Arise News programme ThisDay Live anchored by Dr. Reuben Abati in Nigeria, where he reflected warmly on his personal Rotary journey and set out his vision for the global humanitarian organisation.
Babalola formally took office on 1 July 2026 following ceremonies in Orlando, Florida. In the studio conversation, he recalled how his Rotary story began in the early 1980s at the Federal University of Technology in Bauchi.
Approached by the university’s public relations officer, Andy Eme, a member of the Rotary Club of Bauchi, he agreed to help establish a Rotaract club and served as its charter president.
He later joined the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi in Port Harcourt during his national youth service and rose through the ranks, including as district governor for the former District 9140 covering multiple states in Nigeria’s southeast and south-south.
He follows in the footsteps of Jonathan Majiyagbe, the first African and first Nigerian to lead Rotary International in 2003-04. Addressing young listeners, Babalola offered simple yet powerful encouragement.
“I tell them just stay. Stay with Rotary and everything else is possible,” he said.
Africa’s Rotary membership has increased from around 19,000 to about 48,000 in recent years, yet significant gaps remain.
Babalola called on leaders across the continent to establish new clubs in underserved communities, arguing that any area without a Rotary presence misses vital opportunities for local development.
He also advocated splitting Africa into two zones within Rotary’s global structure of 34 zones to secure more regular representation on the organisation’s board.
His presidential theme, “Create Lasting Impact,” anchored much of the discussion.
Babalola drew a clear distinction between temporary change and enduring results, pointing to polio eradication as the clearest illustration.
While Nigeria is certified wild poliovirus-free, he stressed the importance of sustained routine immunisation until the disease is eliminated worldwide, particularly in the remaining endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“When no child gets crippled anymore, when every child can walk. That is lasting impact,” he emphasised.
A trained engineer with decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, including senior roles at Shell, Babalola urged Rotarians to look beyond immediate project outcomes.
He noted that while digging a borehole provides welcome relief, true impact requires considering longer-term benefits such as community peace and sustainability.
This approach aligns with Rotary’s evolving 121-year mission of uniting people for meaningful, lasting change across the globe, in communities, and within individuals themselves.
The interview, broadcast just days after Babalola’s formal installation and the memorable flag-raising ceremony in the United States where he led the Nigerian national anthem in traditional green-and-white attire, offered viewers an intimate glimpse of a leader deeply rooted in service.
His remarks blended personal history with forward-looking ambition, reinforcing Rotary’s role in fostering ethical leadership and community transformation.
As the second African to guide the organisation’s 1.2 million members, Babalola brings both continuity with past achievements and a fresh determination to expand Rotary’s positive influence, particularly on his home continent.
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