Long before she was installed as the 29th District Chairman of Inner Wheel International, District 911 Nigeria, IWM Mopelola Taiwo Adisa has lived a life of charity. Now that she is the numero uno of the club (District 911), she is determined to do more.She spoke to DEBO OLADIMEJI and EBERE AMEH on her dreams to do more to serve humanity during her tenure as the Chairman 2012/2013.THE installation ceremony of Mrs. Mopelola Taiwo Adisa,the 29th District Chairman of Inner Wheel International District 911 Nigeria, last Sunday (July 29th),at Sheraton Hotel,Ikeja was marked with pomp and pageantry. Members of the club from all walks of life and people of like minds graced the occasion.Adisa was surrounded on the high table by personalities like Mrs. Sarah Sosan, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Professor Olufemi Owolabi Akinyanju, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria;Chief Debo Omotosho, Asiwaju of Afijoland, Oyo State; Mrs. Julie Shekoni, District Chairman 2011-2012; High Chief Winfred Awosika (OON) and Mrs. Grace Abosede Adekoya, International Inner Wheel National Representative and President of Board 2012/2013, among others.The Inner wheel year officially starts from the July 1 and official installation of the newly installed president must be done before the end of July, to enable the new president to start her projects.Born in Abeokuta on January 5,1950 to the family of Chief Jacob Idowu Ogundele (Jaguna of Igbore) and Madam Eunice both of blessed memory, she finished her primary school at Princess Girls School Akoka, Yaba. She proceeded for to Ansar-Ud Deen High School, Surulere, where she completed her secondary, as the Head Girl in 1969-1970.'I joined the Standard Bank Ltd now First Bank Nigeria PLC immediately after leaving school and served the organisation for over three decades.'I did a lot of inner courses and rose through the ranks, which enabled me to get worldwide signatory in the bank in 1986.That enabled me to sign any transaction going out of my branch to any part of the world. Only about two employees would have that rare privilege in any branch,' she said.She worked at different branches and also headed different departments of the bank before retiring as a Manager in Ijora Branch, Lagos.She recalled that in those days, before one can be a member of International Inner Wheel, her husband must be a Rotarian. 'My husband was an active member inthe Lagos Central,' she said.The Inner Wheel, She disclosed, that has many functional clubs. 'Between Lagos and Ogun, we have 38 Inner Wheel clubs that are functioning now. They used to be more than that.When I was working in Lagos, I joined the Lagos Central of my club. We used to meet at Ikoyi Club. We had Ladies Night, fellowship etc and your hubby just has to be there,' she said.She recalled that When she was transferred to Ikeja Industrial Estate, it was not convenient for her to go to Ikoyi Club for meeting and she had to join Opebi District which was closer to her house in 1990. She climbed through the ladder from a treasurer to vice president to the President of Inner Wheel Club in 1995/96 and now the Chairman of the DistrictThe positions in the district she said is highly competitive because a lot of people vie for them and one has to be elected. 'The only position that you don't vie for is the District Chairman. Once you are the District Vice-Chairman, it is assumed that you are undergoing a training for the District Chairman.But Mrs. Adisa disclosed that she joined not only because her husband was a Rotarian 'but also because she wanted to help the needy in my own little way.'I was in the Girls Brigade and we did a lot of visiting of places like the old people's homes, orphanage homes and at times, we did garage sales of our used property and used the proceeds to assist the poor. At times we just gave out. The art of giving has always been part of me,' she said.The challenges of belonging to the club, she said, are many. But the greatest challenge is time.'It takes time and you have to make yourself available. Women take care of the children, home, work etc. It was easy for me because when I was working, my mother-in-law was permanently here with me. She stayed with me for 23 years before she died. she helped me a great deal to have time for myself. I felt free and had opportunity to attend meetings of the club,' she saidShe added that it has been wonderful being a member of the Inner Wheel.'We always have rallies, this year we went to Turkey, we went to Akodo,Lagos State and these are yearly events. Some are once in three years. Coming back to club levels, we always have programmes which are all time- consuming. Last year, Opebi had health sensitization of market womenin Opebi. We went for dental and eye screening in Opebi Grammar School and these programmes were always done in the morning. If you are working, how many times will you take permission' If you are not retired, it will be a problem. Those are the challenges,' she said.She added that many members don't attend meetings due to family affairs.'So many of them are old, but we are trying to bring in new members now.'In our last convention at Turkey, the International Inner Wheel World President said we can invite our friends that are like-minded to join the club. Even our daughters, daughters in-law instead of waiting for only Rotarian wives. They want us to inject new blood into the system,'she said.However, she said, a member of the club must introduce or recommend a new member.According to her,the joy of giving, friendship and networking are some of the benefits of belonging to the club.She would be received with open-arms in any parts of the world by members of Inner Wheel, she said. 'If I want to go to India or any other country, all I need do is call an Inner Wheel member who would accommodate me like a sister. When I visited my son at the University of Birmingham, I fellowshipped with some of our members and they were very happy to receive me,' she said.She met her husband in 1975 while he was the Financial Controller ofSwiss Chemical Nigeria Limited. 'He is an accountant, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. We got married in September 1975. We are blessed with four children,' she enthused.Adisa disclosed that they met in a friends' place, exchanged addresses and one thing led to another and they eventually tied the nuptial knots.She described her husband as loving man, very articulate and punctual. 'He does not like what we called African time,' she said.Adisa would like to leave behind a legacy of charity work she has been doing. 'Our theme for this year, is 'Be A Friend'. If you are a friend, you would do anything for that person without looking back. This year, I want us to make the theme workable,' she reiterated.
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