Lions Club Flags Off 2025/2026 Service Year with Focus on Youth Empowerment, Health, Community Service

With a renewed commitment to youth empowerment, humanitarian service, and community health, the Lions Club International, District 404B Nigeria, has launched its 2025–2026 service year, pledging to deepen its impact across Osun State and beyond.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony in Osogbo on Sunday, First Vice District Governor, Lion Oluomo Sunday Akere, said the club’s priorities this year will include expanding opportunities for young people through leadership and empowerment programs, continuing health-focused interventions such as vision and diabetes screenings, and strengthening humanitarian outreach to underserved communities.

“We are setting out this year with a strong focus on youth empowerment and member welfare,” Akere said.

“We believe in engaging our young people, training them, and giving them something worthwhile that enables them to contribute meaningfully to society.”

He emphasized that the Leos, the youth arm of the Lions Club, will play a central role in the year’s activities, noting that the organization is committed to raising responsible future leaders. “Those in white jackets here are our Leos. They are still in school, and we’re preparing them through leadership, empowerment, and service programs,” he explained.

The dedication event, held in Osogbo, was part of a two-part spiritual launch for the new service year.

The Christian thanksgiving held on Sunday followed a Jumat prayer last Friday at Oduwoye Central Mosque in the state capital, both intended to commit the year’s activities into the hands of God.

Lions Club International, which turns 108 this year, now operates in over 200 countries with 49,000 clubs and 1.4 million members globally. It remains the world’s largest voluntary service organization, known for self-funded projects that address needs in health, education, and poverty alleviation.

“Our slogan is: Where there is a need, there is a Lion,” Akere said. “We are not funded by the government. We contribute from our own resources to execute projects that change lives.”

He highlighted past achievements within Osun State, including a $500,000 eye screening facility built by Lions International at Asubiaro General Hospital in Osogbo and a diabetes screening and treatment center at the State Hospital in Ede—both funded entirely by the Lions.

“These are not promises; they are real, completed projects that people benefit from every day,” Akere noted.

As the service year begins, members say they are ready to sustain their impact across the state and beyond—particularly in areas where government support is lacking. For the Lions, service is not seasonal; it is a lifelong commitment.

“Our Lions are not the ones in the forest,” Akere added. “We are Loving Individuals Offering Needed Services. And this year, we are just getting started.”

According to Lion Kazim Akofe Lasisi (NLCF), Region 10 Chairperson for the Osun Axis, “Our calendar year runs from July 1 to June 30, and we always begin with prayers, we believe prayer is the key. That’s why we held the Friday service at the mosque and followed up today with the Christian service, to seek divine guidance and blessings.”

Speaking about this spiritual emphasis, Lion Ibrahim Ismail, a regional chairperson with the Lions Club, also emphasized the importance of faith and growth as they began a new cycle of service.

“We thank God for covering us from last year till now. As we commit this new year in prayer, we trust God for even greater impact. We pray for more members, more clubs, and more success in all our humanitarian efforts,” he said.

He also noted the Club’s plan to intensify public awareness and collaboration across the state. “We’re working to engage with more media platforms this year. People need to understand what Lions Club stands for—service, compassion, and real community development.

By God’s grace, we’ll begin this media engagement before the end of the month and collaborate closely with Region 9 and Region 10 to expand our reach.” he said

The Pastor in charge of the Union Baptist Church Odi-Olowo, Osogbo Revd. Dr. Sunday Adediwura Adeoye, admonished Lion members of Osun Axis during the Dedication Service to commemorate the beginning of 2025/2026 Lion Service Year (LSY).

Adeoye commended members for their sense of service and also enjoined them to adhere strictly to the goals and objectives of Lions Club International so as to continue to improve the living standard of the less privileged and vulnerable people in the society.

He, thereafter, prayed for them to continue to excel in their endeavours.