By Lydia Chigozie-Ngwakwe
A lawyer, Mr Charles Okeibunor, has called on Nigerians to unite on common values that will promote national growth and harmony.
Okeibunor made the call on Saturday in Lagos while delivering the keynote address at the investiture of Mr Abdul Ojo as the 48th President of the Yaba Lions Club.
The event featured installation of other club officers and the 2025–2026 Fundraising for the club.
The lawyer said Nigerians must agree on shared values that would transcend religion, ethnicity and politics, in order to achieve collective goals.
“We should be united on a set of values that will enable us to achieve our goals.
“When those values are threatened, we must say no. It doesn’t matter where you are from or who you are; these values are key to our success,” he said.
Okeibunor said that great nations remained united because they agreed on values that guided their development.
He addee that Nigeria could progress faster if its citizens would uphold principles of honesty, hard work and unity.
“Religion and politics are not the problem. The problem is that we have not agreed on values that bind us together,” he said.
He urged members of the club and Nigerians in general not to be weak links in the chain of unity but to always stand by what would be right, regardless of affiliations.
He said: “When you are united, nothing can stop you but if you are not united, nothing can help you.”
In his acceptance speech, the new president, Ojo, thanked God for the privilege and thanked members of the club for having confidence in him.
He said his administration would focus on service to humanity through projects on health, education, youth empowerment and support for the visually impaired.
“Today’s event is not just a celebration but also a call to action.
“Your support will help us restore sight to the blind, care for the sick, improve school facilities, and feed the hungry in our community,” he said.
Ojo said the club’s major projects for the 2025–2026 year of the club included youth sensitisation against drug abuse, support for cancer patients, renovation of government schools, and mental health awareness campaigns.
Commenting on the keynote address, Ojo said that the nation’s problems could be solved if Nigerians would put aside divisive sentiments and think more about their collective good.
“The country is suffering today because of lack of unity.
“If we all, in our small groups, start thinking of how our actions affect others, we can begin to rebuild the nation,” he said.
The immediate past Council Chairperson of Multiple District 404 Nigeria, Mr Ano Anyanwu, who joined the Yaba Lions Club in 1995, advised Nigerians to always “do the right thing by choice”.
He said development could only happen when individuals at all levels, from families to national leaders, would choose to act rightly and uphold morals.
“Every one of us must change our ways for the good of the Nigerian people and for humanity.
“We all know what is right and what is wrong; let us do right,” he said.
Anyanwu said that Nigeria once operated with high moral and ethical standards, stressing that rebuilding the nation must start with individuals.
“When we start doing the right thing by choice, we can find true happiness again,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event also featured induction of a new member into the Yaba Lions Club. Other members who could not meet the requirements will be inducted later.
Members of the Yaba Lions Club, who performed excellently in the past year, were honoured with awards for their dedication and contributions to humanitarian service. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
