More than six thousand Nigerians will be the first beneficiaries of the free eye-glasses that the Lions Club international district 404B3 will roll out to help the affected people in their sight.

This is according to the newly inaugurated pioneer district governor 404B3 Lion Otunba Olayiwola Fadairo during his Public Presentation and Foundraising Launcheon in Lagos.

Lion Fadairo stated that vision for all is one of the core projects that the Lions Club international hold in high level.

According to him, the Club intends to provide vision screening; provision of eye glasses and eye surgery for the public.

He said the first free eye glasses would be distributed among the people in Lions club centers in Sango Otta Ogun State, Ibadan the Oyo State capital and in Lagos state.

Otunba Fadairo said the Lions club is noted for its service to humanity and the less privileged within the communities.

He said the purpose of the event will be defeated if we don’t raise enough funds to actualise the free eye glasses aimed at ameliorating the suffering of the less privileged and downtrodden.

According to him, “Lions Club International was created in 1917 with the main aim of providing visual health services. But the focus has grown to include other areas such as diabetes, childhood cancer, feeding the hungry, and the environment.

In his words, “We plan to give over 6,000 eyeglasses to beneficiaries in the axis where we cover and the eye services to be rendered include cataract surgery, medications, counseling, and provision of eyeglasses,” he said.

He said they had partnered the Ophthalmologist Association of Nigeria, eye care professionals, organisations, and communities to provide comprehensive eye care projects.

“We have 6,000 eyeglasses that came into Lagos from the United States of America with several prescriptions which have been divided into seven and distributed to each axis.

“We have 1,780 eyeglasses to be distributed in each axis within this year.

“The eye care professionals would carry out screenings and those who would need glasses would be given, while those in need of medication or cataract surgery will also be provided for.

“So, for all these projects, we are aiming at spending between N70 million and N80 million for the year,” he said.

Fadairo added that other areas of focus for the year which include diabetes, childhood cancer, feeding the hungry, and environment would be catered to.

“We are going to see to the well-being of our environment by embarking on regular clean-ups, planting of trees in our schools as well as a food drive in December. We will still touch on all these areas but the primary focus is vision,” he said.

On his part, the guest speaker who is the immediate past president, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria Adesina Adedayo, admonished the government to support the humanitarianism course of the Lions Club international in meeting the need of the downtrodden.

According to him, Nigerians should use their influence and effluence to serve and uplift the less privileged in the society, while pleading with well meaning Nigerians to invest in programmes that would promote the cause of humanity.

Adedayo said the government has to strengthen ties with like-minded partners to find long-term solutions to challenges facing the country.

He noted that given back to the society should be imbibed by all and sundry so as to  create a community that is habitable to all.

Adedayo noted that the mission and vision of the organisation were in tandem with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

“Looking at the humanitarian services of the Lions Club in the areas of youth development, diabetes, vision, childhood cancer, feeding the hungry, and environment, there is an alignment with the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

“This shows that what you set out to do is a noble objective and if our leaders can consider this, we will have a better nation.

“We hope for a better nation even amid the challenges we have today, so we should have a lion attitude to caring for others and raising humanity to a higher level,” he said.

Some of the speakers including past district governors appealed to everyone to support Lions Club Misson and vision in all its five core projects that are tailored to touch the lives of the people.

On her part, District Governor 404B1, Lion Club Kema- Benedicta Ashibuogwu, said Lions Club International celebrated 77 years of partnership with the United Nations during Lions Day with the United Nations.

According to her, the event commemorates their long-standing relationship as a consultative NGO to the UN dating back to 1945, when Lion leaders were asked to help develop the NGO charter for the UN.

She said there is need for government to focus on hunger and health challenges Nigerians are struggling with.

Ashibuogwu stated that the economy is so bad that the majority of the people can hardly feed or visit the hospital when confronted with health situations.

She added that part of the challenge included insecurities, that most farm produce available are been wasted because of the perishable state of the goods.

Ashibuogwu added that a strong partnership between the United Nations and Lions has helped shape our past and will forge our future.

In her words, Nigeria needs good government policies to drive food production and preservation in the country, saying Nigeria’s imminent food insecurity and the likelihood that the situation could worsen if various levels of government do not act fast.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr Soji Tayo, congratulated Fadairo on his pioneering achievements, saying he now had a responsibility to lay a solid foundation for others to build on.

Tayo, also the President of Ibadan Recreation Club, urged Lions Club members to show good faith by donating as much as possible for the good cause being promoted by the club.

“Let us seek success in everything that we do and hold on to friendships without seeking the downfall of anyone.

“We owe our country, towns, and communities a responsibility by putting in our actions for the betterment of everyone,” he said.

Also, the former District Governor, Lynda Odunmbaku, assured that the district would not relent in serving the less privileged in the communities where they operate.

“I urge everyone to inculcate the habit of giving to the less privileged and the elderly in our society.

“Every community has a Lions Club and I assure you that the less privileged in the communities will be taken care of by our numerous lions clubs,” she said.