By Rahma Jimoh
The Lion Club District A3 Nigeria, has kicked off its new calender year following an election brought in LN Dr. Folashade Shotomide as the second woman to be its district governor.
In its annual press briefing and the start of a new calendar year for the club, which held at The Insurance Brokers House, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos, LN Dr. Shotomide, a teacher, delivered the welcome address and acknowledged committee representatives and attendees.
She also emphasized the importance of Lion’s International and spoke about her goals for the new calendar year.
She invited other leaders to talk about their experiences and the club’s achievements, after which there was a press Q&A section.
In an interview with The Intercept, Dr Shotomide shared her experience emerging as the new district governor. “I don’t feel any different,” she said. “I’ve been a Lion for twenty years; I’ve been in this organisation, and I have availed myself of training and development.
“I have prepared myself for the new role I will be playing.” Dr Shotomide says it is an honour and opportunity she is well prepared for to lead the organisation and contribute to her nation, Nigeria.
Dr Shotomide, who had previously run for office and lost, said she faced opposition and doubts from people, but she decided to stand for election again.
‘I am looking forward to the challenge of being a female leader. When I initially stepped into politics, I faced opposition and doubts from people. I was not well-known, and some questioned my capability.
“After losing my first election in 2021, I made the decision to stand for election again if the opportunity arose. When I ran for office the second time, I encountered resistance, with some insisting that a man should be the candidate. Despite the challenges, winning the election has been both painful and rewarding,” she recounted.
She also discussed how her goals for the calendar year will focus on giving more women opportunities. “It is high time young girls and women stop feeling inferior to their male counterparts,” she said.
“I like to produce people like myself; in my cabinet, I have more women, and I train and ensure that women are well represented.”
