Charles Bassey Leads Abuja Mega Lions Club into New Era as 5th President -

The Abuja Mega Lions Club District 404A2 of Lions International on Saturday celebrated a milestone moment as Lion (Dr.) Charles Bassey was officially installed as the fifth president of the chapter during its fifth anniversary, fundraising, and investiture ceremony held at Nafil Arcade and Water Park, Abuja.

The colourful and spirited event was attended by dignitaries, members of the Lions family, partners, and friends of humanity. It featured inspiring tributes, fundraising pledges, and renewed calls for deeper commitment to humanitarian service.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Bassey pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessors while driving greater impact in healthcare, education, youth empowerment across the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking on the choice of “Service beyond Today” as his leadership theme for the year 2025/2026 Lions Service Year, Dr Charles Bassey stated that “Service beyond Today encapsulates our drive and mindset to ensure that every project we do, outlives us and is a legacy that keeps blessing the lives of those who receive.”

“We are thrilled to mark this milestone anniversary and look forward to another year of service, fellowship, and community engagement,” said the President. “We invite all well-wishers, members, and friends to join us in celebrating this special occasion and supporting our humanitarian initiatives.”

“Our Service is Beyond Today – Let us Arise and Serve with Passion, We Serve”

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Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion Otunba Mustapha Akin commended members for “five extraordinary years of selfless service,” tracing the movement’s history to its founding in 1917 by Melvin Jones in Chicago.

“Over the decades, Lions have become the world’s largest service organisation, united under one motto — We Serve,” he noted.

Represented by the Chairman of ASIS Abuja chapter, Edward Orim, he highlighted the club’s community projects, top of it including its flagship health initiative at Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre, commissioned in February 2025, describing it as a “living testament to our shared vision of accessible healthcare for all.”

He added that beyond health, each of the initiatives has been conceived not as a one-time intervention, but as a sustainable contribution to the well-being and resilience of communities.

The immediate past President of the Abuja Mega Lions Club described her tenure as “a great experience,” noting that although there were a few challenges, it was a period marked by impactful service that touched lives far beyond Abuja.

“It was an insightful tenure, learning new thing, though we had one or two challenges here and there, but all in all it was a very great experience. We actually lived that Lion’s motto of “we serve” because we actually served our community,” she said.

The event also featured the induction of a new Board of Directors, presentation of awards, and a cultural performance marking the club’s fifth anniversary.

Historical Background Of The Lions

Lions Clubs International (LCI) is the world’s largest service organization, renowned for its motto “We Serve.” It was founded in 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA, by Melvin Jones, a visionary businessman who believed that true success comes from serving others.

At the time, Jones was a member of a local business club but felt its focus on personal gain limited its potential. He proposed that club members redirect their energy toward improving their communities. His idea gave birth to a new kind of civic organization — one built on selfless service, integrity, and compassion.

By 1920, Lions Clubs had expanded beyond the United States, with the first international club established in Windsor, Canada. Over the following decades, the movement spread across continents, uniting people from diverse backgrounds under the shared goal of making the world a better place.

In 1925, Lions Clubs International gained global prominence when Helen Keller, the iconic advocate for the blind and deaf, addressed the Lions at their international convention. She challenged them to become the “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” That speech inspired Lions worldwide to make sight preservation and blindness prevention one of their core missions — a commitment that continues to this day.

Throughout its more than a century of service, the Lions have expanded their focus to include healthcare, hunger relief, education, youth empowerment, disaster response, and environmental sustainability. The organization’s humanitarian reach now extends to more than 200 countries and geographic areas, with over 1.4 million members volunteering across 48,000 clubs.

In Nigeria, Lions Clubs were formally established in the 1960s, and the movement has since grown into a vibrant network of professionals and volunteers committed to uplifting communities through projects in vision care, education, and social welfare.

From local charity drives to global initiatives, Lions continue to uphold Melvin Jones’s founding belief:

“You can’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else.”