King Sunny Ade Becomes Global End Polio Ambassador At Akinyele’s Installation As Rotary District Governor

Legendary juju maestro, King Sunny Ade (KSA), has been officially named a Global End Polio Ambassador. The recognition came during a grand ceremony on Sunday, July 13, 2025, where he was decorated by the Doyen of all Rotary Districts in Nigeria, Past District Governor Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi. The event also marked the installation of Rotarian (Prince) Henry Olubowale Akinyele as the second District Governor of Rotary International District 9111.

With this new role, King Sunny Ade joins an elite league of global advocates for polio eradication, including Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage, philanthropist Bill Gates, Grammy-winning Angelique Kidjo, and acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman. Together, they use their platforms to champion the cause of a polio-free world.

In his acceptance speech at the Victoria Event Center, Alausa, Ikeja, KSA expressed his deep commitment to supporting Rotary’s global mission to end polio. He pledged to use his voice and influence to raise awareness about polio as a vaccine-preventable disease, urging communities to embrace immunization as a critical public health tool.

The high-profile event, themed “Royal Installation,” featured memorable performances by King Sunny Ade himself and the prestigious Shuga Band. It also witnessed the conferment of Humanitarian Service Awards on notable Nigerians, including the First Lady of Kebbi State, Her Excellency Hajiya Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris; Minister of Interior, Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo; media mogul Prince Bisi Olatilo; philanthropists Hakeem Oyeneyin, Wale Adegbite, and Tola Awosika.

The ceremony drew a host of dignitaries from government, business, media, and entertainment, such as Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin; Kebbi State Commissioner of Education, Hajiya (Dr.) Halima Muhammad Bande; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Mohammed Maikurata; Principal Personal Secretary to the Kebbi Governor, Bashar Umar Attah; industrialist and Chairman of Repton Group, Otunba Kazeem Odeyeyiwa; veteran comedian Ali Baba; and CEO of Nasara Foundation, Hajiya Bilkisu Mohammed Nasir.

Cultural displays, including a traditional Ondo Kingdom dance, and the lively auction of a live cow added colour and vibrancy to the occasion. But the event reached its crescendo with the formal decoration of Prince Henry Akinyele as the new District Governor.

In his inaugural address, Governor Akinyele—who began his Rotary journey over 30 years ago as a Rotaractor—outlined a bold vision for his tenure. He stressed that expanding membership is a top priority, stating:

“The scale and impact of our projects are directly proportional to the strength of our numbers.”

Akinyele announced an ambitious plan to grow the District’s membership from approximately 2,400 to over 3,000 by the end of the Rotary year, aligning with Rotary International’s global focus on expanding reach and impact.

He also unveiled key projects under his leadership, including:

• Renovation and reconstruction of 20 sickbays in public schools across Lagos and Ogun States, in collaboration with individual clubs.
• A major eye-screening campaign targeting 10,000 public school students, with free corrective eyeglasses for those diagnosed with vision impairments.
• A Rotary Peace Center Initiative to promote dialogue, conflict resolution, and community harmony.
• A strategic shift away from club-centric projects towards District-club partnerships for deeper community impact.
• Enhanced Rotary visibility through comprehensive public relations campaigns across digital and traditional media.

Governor Akinyele emphasized that the heartbeat of Rotary lies in The Rotary Foundation, promising to intensify fundraising efforts to fuel transformative projects.

With music, philanthropy, and vision woven into one compelling evening, the installation was not just a change of leadership—it was a call to greater service.