Eko Club Houston Hosts Former ECI President, Lanre Ojo To Homecoming Gala

The Houston branch of Eko Club International on Friday, November 26, 2021 honoured the immediate-past president of the club, Mr Lanre Ojo with a homecoming ceremony following his successful stint at the helm of the prestigious organisation.

Organised via collaborative efforts from Eko Club San Antonio, Eko Club Austin, and Eko Club Women, the ceremony was a salute to the former president’s monumental strides at the helm of the organisation, particularly at a time when daunting challenges across the board significantly impacted the goals and aspirations of the club.

The event, puppeteered by Lanre Oki and Aregbe, had in attendance former ECI Presidents, executives and members of the Houston branch of the club.

In his welcome address, Bashir Agoro hailed Lanre Ojo for crowning himself in gold as the organisation’s lynchpin at a time of unprecedented global crisis. He noted that the ex-President’s achievement is indeed a testament of what could be achieved where grit and determination are present.

There were also tributes from members of the club’s leadership caucus including ex presidents and other executives.

Attorney OJ Lawal, a former president of the club didn’t hold back his encomiums and adulations for the hero of the hour, describing his performances at the helm of the club as nothing short of superlative.

Another former president, Otunba TJ Abass said Lanre Ojo’s presidency aptly encapsulates the Nigerian fighting spirit, the will to go on and make a difference even when the odds are stacked against us.

Saheed Olushi, as well as President of Eko Club Santonio, Dr Carolyn Ogunbayi
were also full of praise for the immediate-past president for carrying the torch with utmost integrity and honour.

Other executives of the club also extended their tributes via a Zoom live feed.

In his appreciation speech, Lanre Ojo thanked members of the club and all those who pitched in to give him a glorious and memorable homecoming.

He also appreciated the entire membership of the club for their dogged support during his presidency, noting that none of the initiatives carried out by his administration would have been a reality if the club’s members did not shed their inhibitions to contribute wholeheartedly even at their own expense.

He expressed gratification that the goal of the organisation, which is to make a difference in the lives of Lagosians and their host communities, was significantly achieved during his presidency.

The curtain of the event was drawn with presentation of gifts while solo music by Seun serenaded the ambience into the early hours of the morning.

First elected in 2017 to oversee the holistic objectives of the club’s disparate units which are spread across America, Canada and Europe, Lanre was re-elected in 2019 following an impressive first campaign at the helm of affairs but would see this second spell aggressively challenged following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that placed the kibosh on social and other activities around the world. Regardless, his administration, before passing on the baton managed to register commendable strides with regard to charting the course for the leadership and the members of the club to consolidate efforts on actualising the organisation’s key objectives, particularly in the area of community outreach programmes.

Under his direction, the club took a slightly different trajectory in its community outreach programme in Lagos State which witnessed the disbursement of cash grants to Lagos indigenes across the five divisions of the state to complement medical missions that had been carried out in the preceding years.

During the peak period of the pandemic, the club, under his leadership also embarked on the palliative programme which featured the distribution of food items and cash executed across the five divisions of the state.

Lanre’s administration, as one final hurrah, despite the economic austerity occasioned by the pandemic also oversaw cash donation to the Baton Rouge Food Band to assist the victims of hurricane IDA in what went down as a successful 12th Biennial Conference held in unconventional circumstances due to the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic.

Having run point over the period of the past four years, his administration has been hailed for pushing the frontiers of the club’s fundamental essence and also laying concrete framework for future leadership to build upon.

Diran Willoughby, chairman of the board of directors, ahead of the homecoming ceremony had hailed Mr Lanre as well as other members of the club caucus for their stout commitment in actualising the goal of the organisation despite the recent obvious challenges.

“Congratulations Pressy emeritus Hon. Lanre Ojo for the homecoming and meritoriously represented us on the international arena/stage, we can’t thank and those that came before (Hon. O.J. Lawal and Hon. T. J. Abass) enough. You exemplified the office by your servant leadership approach which kept people still standing in ovatious manner, and with an unceasing celebration of you,” he wrote.

“Thank you again and I am sorry to have to miss this monumental occasion, but I know for sure that the BOARD will be well represented accordingly. Enjoy the moment and congratulations to our amiable president, Hon. Bashir Agoro for being here at this time of our organization history. I am certain all these couldn’t have been possible without the support of ALL the wonderful members of this great organisation. Long live Eko Club USA Houston!!”

Former presidents, Hon. O.J. Lawal and Hon. T.J. Abass were also full of praise for the immediate-past president for carrying the torch with utmost integrity and honour.

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