Kunle Adelabu
-Presents Adeboruwa with membership pin
In commemoration of the Tree Planting Day 2020, which is an international event, the Rotary Club of Igbogbo, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, embarked on a symbolic tree planting exercise in Igbogbo.
Aside planting trees at the frontage of Osugbo shrine and the Rotary Centre in Igbogbo, members of the humanitarian and service club also sensitised residents of the community on the importance of planting and nurturing trees.
The theme of the Rotary Club for this year’s exercise was, ‘Supporting the Environment: Plant A tree today’.
While paying homage to Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali , the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, and members of the Adeboruwa – in – Council at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo, Rotarian Francis Shonubi, the President of the Rotary Club of Igbogbo, said that members of the club deemed it necessary to visit the palace on the occasion of the tree planting day.
While stating that the club would be embarking on tree planting exercise to mark the international day, Rotarian Shonubi also sensitised the royal father and his chiefs on the importance of tree planting.
He also added that, “We are also going to use this symbolic visit to present membership pin to our royal father who is a member of Rotary International”.
Rotarian Shonubi later fixed the club’s pin on Oba Kasali who afterwards gave his royal blessings to the club and its members.
Speaking with THE IMPACT at the Rotary Centre located along Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Way, Igbogbo, Rotarian Shonubi said that the club was engaging in the marking of the international tree planting day because of the importance of trees to human lives.
He added that tree planting is part of the Rotary International’s cardinal points and also constitutes a major part of his administration ad President of the club in Igbogbo.
“We are here today for Rotary Club’s ‘Plant A Tree Day’ celebration. Every July 14 is a reserved day for us at the Rotary International for planting trees in various communities”, he said.
“It is part of our vocal points which emphasises support for the environment.
“Planting of trees gives more air and life to people in an area where there are trees.
“We are doing this in celebration of July 14 which is World Tree Planting Day. We are here at the Rotary Centre in Igbogbo to plant a tree. We had planted one at the frontage of the Osugbo shrine on the order of the Alaiyeluwa Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo”, Rotarian Francis said .
He urged members of the community to see tree planting as an important exercise which they must engage in at all time.
“We are also using this opportunity to encourage everybody to plant a tree each because it gives lives not only to human beings but also other things around where trees are”, he said.
Rotarian Francis Shonubi stated that the club was not just embarking on the exercise but also concerned about the sustenance of the planted trees which, according to him, should be nurtured to growth.
“Sustenance of trees after they are planted is also very key. At Rotary, we do not only plant trees, but we also nurture them to growth. As we are planting this here at our center, the management will look after it and we, members, will also be visiting from time – to – time to see how it is growing.
“What we do is that we ensure that people in a particular area plant trees and care for them. A tree is like a life that has to be taken care of like we are caring for human being”, he said.
“As the tree grows, it creates shades and gives comfort to the people around”.
Speaking on the other programmes that his administration will be executing, Rotarian Shonubi mentioned protection of the environment in the area of waste management among others.
“As mentioned earlier that the environment is a major focus of our 7 – cardinal points, we are going take care of the environment in the areas of waste management, sensitizing public on recycling of waste and not just throwing things around. We want to educate our people on how to protect the environment by not just throwing cans and other waste away but properly disposing them.
“During my time, we are also going to be looking into education. We need to educate the minds of the people in the community. We are going to be training them on leadership and make them, especially the youths, understand that they can be whatever they want to be.
“We also have programme for provision of potable water in rural areas like Agunfoye, Oreta, Offin and Ibeshe among others.
“Projects during my tenure will be aimed at impacting on the environment and people that are in need in our immediate environment, which is Igbogbo. We are going to be reaching out to communities”, he assured.
“We are equally going to touch educational sector. We will be engaging our pupils and students on the importance of being responsible and responsive to their communities.
“We will be going to schools to teach, mentor and ensure that they have leadership qualities”.
While commending the state government for its handling of COVID 19 pandemic so far, Rotarian Shonubi appealed to people to adhere strictly to the protocols stipulated by the government in curbing the spread of the virus.
He also charged the people to use face mask at all time, wash their hands, keep social distancing and refrain from public gatherings.
The Chairman, Rotary Tree Planting Committee, Chief (Barr.) Adebisi Ogundipe, also speaking with THE IMPACT, said that:
“For this symbolic exercise, we are planting two trees. The first one has already been planted at the Osugbo shrine as directed by the Kabiyesi who is a chartered member of the club and the other one at the Rotary Centre in Igbogbo.
“We know that we cannot go round the entire community planting trees but we are doing these symbolicly and our members are also expected to go back to their various areas and plant trees and also sensitise their neighbours in that regard.
“It is our aim to make every member of this community know that tree planting promotes good living”, he explained.
“With tree planting, the eco system will be sustained if we have enough oxygen passing out to people. We are stressing the importance of trees to human living to the people in this community”, he said while stating the importance of trees.
“In the past, we lived in villages which were not urbanized like this and were not clustered with houses. Then, we used to have a lot of trees that existed between one house and the other, unfortunately, it is no longer same today, hence we have to come up with the idea of planting trees so that we can have the ambience we used to have in the past and the good living condition that is better than what we used to have in the past.
Chief Ogundipe also emphasised that beyond trees planting, the club is also ensuring that adequate education and information are shared with the people by members of Rotary International to ensure sustainability of the exercise.
“We are using our members that are spread across the rural communities in Igbogbo to sensitse and sustain trees in the communities. It is our individual responsibilities to Rotary International that, as members, we have to go out and educate people on the value of tree planting and stop removing them.
“Our people lack understanding of what trees do to the lives of human beings, they engage in cutting trees. We are trying to stop this by educating them on the value of what trees contribute to human living condition and good environment.
“Beyond that, we are going to go round when schools finally resume to talk to children on value of tree planting. Through this, they too will know the value of trees and promote it”, he said.
