The President-Elect of Rotary International.
Olayinka Hakeem Babalola is expected to touch down in Port Harcourt on Sunday, September 7, 2025 to a grand reception by members of the Rotary family in Rivers State and beyond.
He will be received on arrival at the Protocol Lounge, Port Harcourt International Airport and thereafter the Rotary Centre, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.
In a statement released on Friday in Port Harcourt by Ibim Semenitari, Rotary Public Image Coordinator, Africa Zone 22, Region 2, the reception will feature distinguished Rotary leaders, members, and friends of Rotary, celebrating this landmark achievement and the new era it heralds for Rotary in Africa.
The Reception for Rotary International President-Elect, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola on his arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport by the leadership of Rotary International District 9141,
serves as a historic event that marks a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa, as they welcome one of their own to the highest leadership of Rotary International, the world’s foremost service organization.
Rotarian Babalola was last month announced as the new President for the 2026/2027 Rotary year.
His emergence marked a historic milestone, making him only the second African – and the second Nigerian – to lead the global humanitarian organisation. The first was Jonathan Babatunde Majiyagbe, who served from 2003 to 2004.
Babalola’s election is being celebrated across Nigeria and Africa as another proud moment of continental leadership on the global stage.
A member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola was selected by the Rotary International Board of Directors following the resignation of SangKoo Yun, who stepped down to focus on recovery after cancer treatment. Babalola will formally assume office on 1 July 2026.
