Economy

Rotary International installs new governor in District 9100

Newly-installed District 9100 governor, Bouraima Salifou, left, flanked by out-going governor Marwan Fattal and wife Fahimatou Aline Salifou, savors the moment.
Newly-installed District 9100 governor, Bouraima Salifou, left, flanked by out-going governor Marwan Fattal and wife Fahimatou Aline Salifou, savors the moment.

BY BISI IKUCHIKA

Rotary International, a non-political, world-wide association of more than 33,800 service clubs comprising 1,200,000 members dedicated to the promotion of peace and mutual understanding throughout the world, has a new governor for its District 9100 that encompasses 14 West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Niger, Senegal and Togo. Long-time Rotarian Bouraima Salifou of Benin took over from out-going District Governor (DG) Marwan Fattal during a gala in Cotonou, Benin ’s economic capital, on June 25.

In addition to the 400 or so local members representing the 16 Rotary clubs of Benin – which boasts 3,000 members total – fellow-Rotarians from other African countries, notably neighboring Nigeria, Togo, and Côte d’ivoire were in attendance. These included District 9100 out-going governor Marwan Fattal of Côte d’Ivoire; Raphael Fiaty of Togo, District 9100 Governor 2008-2009; Dr. Olutunde Oni, District Governor 1989-1990 of District 9130, in Ibadan, Nigeria; former Assistant Governor of the Ibadan West District in Nigeria, Olujimi Ajijola, and Yinka Babalola, soon-to-be Governor of District 9140 in Nigeria.

Marie-Paule Gudibi of Benin, currently governor of District 909 of the International Inner Wheel attended the function flanked by her husband, Emmanuel Guidibi, one of the many Benin who’s whos – university professors, renowned lawyers, doctors and others – who are members of the Benin Rotary club. Incoming District 9100 governor Bouraima Salifou’s brothers Mouftaou Alidou (a local who’s who) and Soumanou Salifou (who flew in all the way from the United States for the occasion), and Bouraima Salifou’s son Abdallah (who came from Dakar, Senegal,) also took part in the event.

In his speech prior to the power hand-over, out-going DG Fattal first recognized the presence of François Amorin the premier governor of District 9100 from the rotaryclub of cotonou who received a standing ovation for his many contributions to Rotary’s activities. “Anyone in the audience who thinks this is an end or a new beginning should think again. It is just continuity,” Fattal said, adding that “the task has been hard and at the same time exciting, and has given us many reasons to be satisfied.” He thanked all his fellow-Rotarians, especially those, he said, who have assisted him during his tenure, and then placed the Rotary necklace on the incoming governor in a very solemn gesture that drew cheers and a long, standing ovation.

Bouraima Salifou, visibly moved and flanked by his wife, Fahimatou Aline (also a long-time Inner Wheel club member who served as governor of District 909 of the International Inner Wheel), addressed the audience in the engaging, relaxed public address style that seems to be the mark of the Rotary International. “Our mission of peace and mutual understanding is an ambitious one and lies on the commitment of each one of you. That’s why I am happy and honored by your participation tonight in the ceremony of my installation as governor of our district,” he said. He mentioned the enormous tasks ahead and reminded the audience that “we Rotarians are ordinary people who do extraordinary things.” The new governor praised his predecessor’s achievements in office despite the daunting Ivorian socio-political context of the several past months.

The out-going DG received a new ovation and a gift with a hearty message of appreciation from the Benin clubs, which also gave their new governor a travel bag – a symbol of the many travels that rotary service entails.

Just when the music was announcing the ball, Mrs. Fahimatou Aline Salifou improvised a speech in which she stressed her husband’s generosity and sense of friendship, assuring the audience that “My Bouraima Salifou, my tender second half, a proven big achiever, will deliver.” The remarks, followed by a song she sang in one of the local languages, drew a thunderous, standing ovation – a most appropriate prelude to the hours-long ball.