BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB IN NIGERIA
Rotary found its way into Nigeria in 1961 when the first Rotary club was chartered in Kano on
the 28th April 1961 in the 56th year of Rotary.
Before then the first Rotary club in Africa had been established in 1921, 40 years ahead of
Nigeria while the first Rotary club in West Africa was also established in Dakar, Senegal in 1939
about 22 years before Nigeria. Nigeria indeed was the 32nd nation to receive Rotary in Africa.
After the Rotary club in Kano, the Rotary club of Lagos was chartered on 30th May 1961 and
the Rotary club of Ibadan on 24th November 1961. By 1973, the number of clubs in Nigeria
were large enough for grouping with other clubs outside Nigeria to form the new Rotary
International District 210 with Rotarian Francois Amorin of the Rotary club of Cotonou – Benin
Republic as the first District Governor.
In 1972/73, Nigeria produced her first District Governor for District 210 when Rotarian Anofi
Guobadia of the Rotary club of Ikeja came into office. The District was later renamed 910.
During the period 1973 to 1981, Rotarians from about 14 countries in West Africa were grouped
into one District. The effect of Rotary was felt by the society through its various laudable projects
and activities.
Nigeria produced her second District Governor in 1980/81 when Rotarian John Babatunde
Majiyagbe of the Rotary club of Kano took charge of the much bigger District. This encouraged
RI to consider redistricting with the creation of the Rotary District 911 comprising all clubs
throughout Nigeria in 1982 – 83 Rotary year.
The first District Governor of the newly created All Nigerian District 911 was Rotarian Past
District Governor Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi. In that year (1982 – 83) PDG Juli as he is fondly called
criss-crossed Nigeria several times doing some 26,000 kilometers by air, by land and over water
to spread the message of Rotary with the support of well chosen, motivated, committed and
coordinated team of District officers.
PDG Juli and his team created a new dawn for Rotary in Nigeria with establishment of 31 new
clubs. This growth encouraged the redistricting of the District 911 to form two Districts for
Nigeria. PDG Bob Ogbuagu took over form PDG Juli
With the redistricting exercise, PDG Babs Ajayi became the third District Governor of District
911 comprising six states and the FCT i.e. Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Sokoto and FCT.
With sustained growth, PDG Bayo Adetunji became District Governor in 1985/86 as the 4th
Governor of the District before another redistricting exercise took place and like PDG Bob
Ogbuagu he had to belong to the newly created District after serving as the District Governor of
District 911. By the first July 1986, Nigeria has started the Rotary year with 4 Districts namely
District 911, 912, 913 and 914. (The prefix ‘0’ was later added to them all). District 9125 was
formed as a result of the merger of 9120 and 9130, covering FCT and 23 out of the 36 States of
Nigeria, the other three being Districts 9110, 9141 and 9142.
Rotary Districts 9111 and 9112 are in the process of being carved out of District 9110, while
Districts 9126 and 9127 are in the process of being carved out of District 9125.