Rotary International District 9111 has honoured Nigeria's foremost philanthropist and statesman, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, with the prestigious 'Service Above Self' award, Rotary's highest individual honour. The award was in recognition of Osunkeye's over five decades of dedicated service, including being the highest single individual donor to Rotary District 9111's polio eradication initiatives across Nigeria.
Since launching the Polioplus programme in 1985, Rotary International has mobilised volunteers, raised billions of dollars, and partnered with governments, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The effort has reduced polio cases by more than 99.9 per cent globally, with Africa certified free of wild poliovirus in 2020, a milestone made possible through relentless vaccination campaigns, surveillance, and community engagement, in which Nigerian Rotarians have played a frontline role.
Osunkeye's sustained contributions have directly powered District 9111's polio immunisation drives, outreach programmes, and supportive health infrastructure projects, helping protect millions of Nigerian children from this debilitating disease.
In his address at the event, Rotary International President Rotarian Francesco Arezzo, represented by Past District Governor Rotarian Francisco Ssemwanga from Uganda, emphasised Africa's rising influence in Rotary while calling for greater accountability. Arezzo urged African Rotarians to continue to push their weight among the global community of Rotarians. He said: 'We must care for one another and ensure that our donations are followed up rigorously so that their impact becomes sustainable and far-reaching.'
District Governor Prince Henry Akinyele, who formally presented the award, eulogised the awardee's extraordinary legacy, urging others to emulate his example. Akinyele said: 'Chief Osunkeye's remarkable strides in service to humanity, especially through donations to activities of this district, are legacies worth celebrating.' He added that the awardee's contributions not only strengthened the district but have helped them to forge ahead.
Osunkeye, in his acceptance speech, appreciated the gesture and renewed his call for service. He said: 'I accept this award, not as a personal achievement, but as a recognition of the efforts of those who have journeyed with me. The challenges confronting our world today—poverty, illiteracy, diseases, and social division—remind us that service to humanity is no longer optional; it is an important imperative.'
As a past President of the Rotary Club of Ikeja, Osunkeye has blended corporate leadership with impactful philanthropy. He was the first Nigerian Managing Director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, and chairman of several major corporations. The award is granted only to a select few Rotarians globally each year, especially as Rotary closes its final chapters of polio transmission across the world.
The Rotary District 9111 conference, which serves as a celebration and strategic rallying point for Rotarians, also witnessed a panel session on polio eradication and a keynote address by Dr. Tim Akano, who spoke on reimagining service and purpose by putting humanity first.
