Education
Okoguale Emerges 37th President of Rotary Club of Garki-Abuja, Unveils Bold Agenda on Power, Scholarships others
By Cyril Ogar
Rotarian Irene Okoeguale was officially installed on Friday as the 37th President of the Rotary Club of Garki-Abuja.
The well-attended installation and fundraising ceremony was held at the Exhibition Pavilion, 903 Tafawa Balewa Way, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, and attracted dignitaries, special guests, and members of the wider Rotary family.
In her inaugural address, President Okoeguale outlined a bold vision for a Rotary year anchored on impactful, innovative, and sustainable projects aimed at improving access to healthcare, education, and menstrual hygiene for vulnerable communities.
She revealed that one of the Club’s flagship projects for the year would be the provision of alternate power supply to the Aleyita Clinic and Doctors’ Quarters, a critical intervention designed to address the need for reliable healthcare services in underserved rural areas.
“This project is not just an initiative it’s a promise,” she said. “A promise to the mother in labor at midnight. To the vaccines that must remain refrigerated. To the children who deserve care, even when the lights go out.”
Other proposed projects for the Rotary year include: Menstrual hygiene campaigns for schoolgirls; Scholarships for underprivileged students; Environmental sustainability and community clean-up efforts; Economic empowerment programs for women and youth; Crisis response and community resilience initiatives and Civic education and youth engagement programs
Okoeguale reaffirmed the Club’s commitment to Rotary International’s mission of “Service Above Self” and called on stakeholders, development partners, and philanthropists to support their efforts in delivering lasting impact.
“This year, our theme is ‘United for Good’—a powerful reminder that Rotary is not about one person. The strength of our impact lies in our collective effort. When we work together, we can achieve much more.”
She reflected on her Rotary journey, which began in 2020, describing it as a return to her roots in service shaped by parents who lived out compassion and purpose daily.
“Over the years, I have served in various roles, learning the rhythm of our club and the heartbeat of our community. I have seen what’s possible when Rotarians unite—not around ego, but around impact.”
President Okoeguale announced that her leadership this Rotary year will focus on four key pillars:
Impact with Intention: Projects will no longer be one-off interventions. The Club will revisit and evaluate previous initiatives, especially in Aleyita, to build on successes and improve where needed.
Presence with Purpose: The Club will amplify its visibility through digital platforms, media partnerships, and a revived monthly radio program to enhance engagement and public awareness.
Meaningful Membership: Rotary will become a space where every member feels a sense of belonging, purpose, and opportunity to contribute. Fellowship activities will be intentional, and all voices—especially new Rotarians—will be encouraged and heard.
Structure with Innovation: With her background in technology and systems, Okoeguale is introducing digital solutions to enhance operations. The launch of RC Garki Hub, a custom internal platform, will help streamline communication, monitor projects, and modernize club management.
She concluded her speech with a rallying call for unity and collective action: “We are not here simply to turn the Rotary wheel. We are here to move it faster, fairer, and farther. Let us be Rotarians of action, courage, and consequence. Together, we will not just uphold the Rotary legacy—we will elevate it.
On his own, the outgoing President, Rotarian Joachim Ezeji, commended the incoming president’s passion and vision, expressing confidence that the club would achieve even greater milestones under her leadership.
As the Rotary Club of Garki ushers in a new era under Irene Okoeguale, expectations are high for a transformative year of purposeful service, inclusion, and community-driven impact.
Education
Athena Centre Appointed to NGREN Board as Federal Government Deepens Data-Driven Governance
Joel Ajayi
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN)/Tertiary Education Research Applications and Services (TERAS). NgREN -Nigeria’s national research and education backbone – provides high-speed connectivity, shared digital services, and collaboration infrastructure for universities and research institutions, while TERAS powers the digital applications that support research, data exchange, and digital learning across the tertiary system.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the center’s Media and Communications Officer Paul Liam.
The new NgREN/TERAS Board was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the Nigeria National EdTech Strategy Mid-Term Co-Creation Workshop, hosted with support from Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank Group.
The Board includes the Executive Secretaries of NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and TETFund; representatives of vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts; and major digital infrastructure stakeholders such as NCC, Galaxy Backbone, and USPF. The Athena Centre joins the Board as the civil society voice.
In his remarks, Dr. Alausa acknowledged the Centre’s role in shaping national transparency reforms, noting that the Ministry’s Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance Transparency Portal (FTIGTP) drew inspiration from Athena’s research and advocacy.
He expressed confidence that the reconstituted Board will deliver measurable improvements within two years to strengthen Nigeria’s research ecosystem and digital readiness.
Representing the Centre on the Board, its Chancellor, Chief Osita Chidoka, OFR, commended the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based reform.Reaffirming the Ministry’s digital direction, Dr. Alausa stated: “For the first time, Nigeria is building a unified data architecture for basic, secondary, and tertiary institutions. You cannot reform what you cannot measure, and we are determined to measure what matters.”
Echoing the need for interoperability, Dr. Tijani emphasised the importance of shared digital infrastructure, noting:“Digital transformation fails when systems operate in silos. Our priority is a national architecture where platforms talk to each other and every school is connected.”
Chidoka welcomed the digital innovation underway but stressed the importance of deeper inclusion of state governments, who own and manage most Nigerian schools, in planning, implementation, and financing.
According to him:“For education to succeed, states must invest, lead, and commit. The Federal Government must coordinate and support, but it cannot carry the burden of school management alone.”
The Athena Centre reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal and state governments in strengthening education data systems, digital governance, and transparent accountability.Media Contact:
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