Sir Emeka Offor Foundation

Sir Emeka Offor donates N50 Million to Rotary Foundation on World Polio Day

Nigerian Rotarians joins Rotarians all over the world to commemorate the concerted effort to rid the face of the earth of polio disease on this special "World Polio Day", October 24th, 2015.

This year's celebration marks a special health milestone for Nigeria having registered zero case of polio for over a year since the last paralysis associated with wild poliovirus Type 1 was recorded on July 24th, 2014. The success of the anti-polio campaign in Nigeria is believed to be as a result of appreciable coordination of both the public and private sector participators along with the continued support from International and local donors.

Key donors who have played and are continuing to play a significant role in meeting the funding gap includes USAID, UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and billionaire businessman, Sir Emeka Offor of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation. On this year's celebration, Sir Emeka Offor applauds the efforts of all Rotarians and health workers who navigate through treacherous high-risk zones of the north-eastern Nigeria to deliver the needed vaccines to immunize his country's young children.

At this year's celebration, Sir Emeka renewed his commitment to ending polio in Nigeria by donating N50 Million to Rotary Foundation. Addressing Rotarians and citizens of Port-Harcourt, in Rivers State at the commemorative World Polio Day event, he said, 

"Today, we celebrate World Polio Day with a deep sense of accomplishment and appreciation for all our collective efforts to see an end to this dreaded disease in Nigeria.

 Your financial contributions,

 Your commitment to service,

 Your goodwill

 Your belief in our shared humanity

 The unflinching support of our local and International donors

 And the dedication of health care workers across Nigeria

 Have brought us to this major milestone.

 Rotarians! I salute you. 

 While we celebrate, we must bear in mind that our work is not yet done.

 We must forge ahead with all determination,

 With all vigilance,

 And with all perseverance

 So that we can rejoice and celebrate in a grander arena when the World Health Organization hands over the final seal of “Polio-Free” Nigeria to us in 2017.

 So, let us go out and continue to immunize every child under 5 years of age

 Let us continue to pursue advocacy

 Let us continue to donate our time and resources.

 Until Polio is no longer a threat to our children

 I know I will.

 Thank you very much."

After his remark, Sir Emeka joined District Governors and Rotarians alike to immunize over five hundred (500) young children who had gathered at the Secretariat, near Presidential Hotel, Port-Harcourt.