T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • SEPTEMBER 25, 2016
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ON THE COUCH
MODUPE SASORE (LAWYER)
Why I Am Passionate About Humanity Interviewed by Funke Olaode Can we have an insight to your background? I was born in Lagos and I am married into a popular family in Lagos, the Sasores. My father was a medical doctor. I attended St. Gordric’s College, Hampstead London, I studied Law at University of Lagos, and I was also at the University of London and attended the Harvard Law School where I completed a programme on Negotiation. So, I am an advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, UK, and an accredited mediator of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, UK. I currently work in a law firm as an associate.
I know that all fingers are not equal. Under our economic/ community development project, we have adopted Itamarun, a village on the outskirt of Lagos at Lekki Free Zone. It is a local community that is in need of basic amenities. For instance, they don’t have electricity there and drinkable water. It is a beautiful setting situated in a coastal area that is overseeing the high sea. We first visited the place on a sanitation day and taught them how to keep their environment clean. We swept the entire village with them. We built an incinerator for them. I was chairman of economic and community development, I saw that the major occupation of the women is trade in palm kernel which they cracked by hand. I asked them how long it takes to fill one drum and they said 10 days. I knew that they needed help. So, I arranged with my team and we got them a palm kernel cracking machine. This project of the Rotary Club of Lagos was a major empowerment tool for the local women. We asked them to form themselves into a cooperative which they did. We built and installed mechanised palm kernel cracking centre for them and a drum of palm kernel that used to take them 10 days to fill now lasts a few hours.
Would you say your parents influenced who you are today? It was a privileged beginning. When I returned from England, I worked at Lever Brothers, Portland Cement Company. I later studied Law at the University of Lagos and started practicing as a lawyer. I served the nation in different capacities: as special adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on exports programme. I was appointed Director-General of Nigerian Export Promotion. How do you feel becoming the President of Rotary Club of Lagos? I was invited to the club by Mrs. Hairat Balogun in 2008. I have been active since I joined this noble gathering. I am happy particularly when one knows what the club stands for. For me, it is an opportunity to serve the less the privileged. I served as chairman of Micro Credit Committee which grants loans to small scale operations. In July, we organised micro finance credit for Sangrouse Market traders and the butchers later joined them. Today, the microcredit fund has enormous growth of 1500 per cent. As president what are your plans? In the Rotary Club, we have a theme for each month. For
If you can rate your satisfaction with life, out of 10 what would you score yourself? I will score myself seven over 10. I believe there is room for an improvement.
instance, our theme for September is basic education and illiteracy. We recognise education as the bedrock of development in any society. It is obvious that education at the basic level is the first step towards creating a community aware of its rights and enabled to take advantage of economic opportunities that abound. Recently, our club has just obtained the Lagos state government approval
to carry out a pilot project called ‘Lab-in-a-Box’. This is in collaboration with JANYAA Foundation of India. It is aimed at improving the knowledge of secondary students in Science and Mathematics. We also plan to promote the reading culture. Why are you so passionate about humanity considering your comfortable background?
If you could turn back the hand of time are there things you would do differently? I don’t have regrets. I wish I had joined the Rotary Club earlier. I also wish I had started law much earlier, as a profession. What is your philosophy of life? Giving my all in whatever I am doing. Love the neighbour as thyself; support and take care of others. Always strive to assist the humanity. This is one of the purposes of existence.
EVENT
Memorable Night for Eagle Toastmasters
T
he balmy night at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, was just the right atmosphere for a new man to be crowned the president of Eagle Toastmasters International. Welldressed guests mingled amidst glasses of cocktails as they exchanged pleasantries. Before long, the main event began. It was a change of guard night in honour of Oladele Olunike, to be sworn in as the new president of Eagles Toastmasters International. A non-profit organisation, with clubs worldwide to help members improve on their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills, Toastmasters has been in Nigeria for over a decade. Olunike said he joined the club in 2009 and has remained very active ever since attending Eagle Toastmasters Club’s bi-monthly meetings. According to him,
his experience at the club has made him better in personal, professional and public life, through the many transformational programmes of Eagle Toastmasters. Olunike believes his new position is a call to serve the club better. “I wouldn’t see it as being honoured; some people may see it as honour to be a president, but I see it as a call to service because of the ideals of Toastmasters. One of our core values is service and I see every promotion in every aspect of life as a call to higher responsibility.” As part of his plans to take the club to the next level, Olunike said his vision for the club, in 2016 is titled Eagle Vision three V… Bigger, Bolder and Brighter milestone, which is the payoff line. “The three Vs stand for viable, vibrant and visible. Our vision statement is to
make the club more viable, vibrant and more visible nationally. Our mission is to intensify capacity development, through the development of people’s communication and leadership skills.” A 35-times best speaker and 52 times best evaluated award winner, Olunike said: “in the last 65 days, we have been steering the ship of the club in the direction of making the club more visible through our educational programmes.” While giving her valedictory speech, immediate past president of the club, Keji Sanni, encouraged both men and women, young and old to achieve success. Currently in 136 countries, Toastmasters began in 1924 in Santana, California, USA. In over 92 years, it has helped over four million people to conquer their fear, to find their voice and release their success.
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