Nothing, I repeat, nothing happens in Rotary by chance. Everything is usually well thought out, meticulously planned ahead, explicitly documented and also officially serialized and segmented. Well, except in one or two instances where God decrees otherwise. Other than that, Rotary is one organization that plans ahead, stays ahead and rarely wants to be associated with UnRotary shades of shenanigans.
And for me, that is one vitally important lesson for all of us, especially those that run one or two businesses here and there. We must emulate and imbibe that principle.
The photograph above actually led to this piece of advice and short writeup. The man behind is Rotarian Remi Bello, FCA, the current District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110 Nigeria. The woman on his left is Rotarian Omotunde Lawson, the District Governor-Elect and his successor. The third person, on the right, is Rotarian Ify Ejezie, the District Governor-Nominee. She will succeed the DGE. Even the fourth person is going to be announced in a not too distant time.
The three people already announced have their offices and roles properly carved out. Including members of their teams, both in active and inactive capacities. No hassles, no issues, and no ‘wahala’, like we say in Nigeria. All are working towards one goal – service to humanity.
Founded in 1905 by a visionary U.S attorney that goes by the name of Paul Harris, Rotary, today, boasts of a membership strength of over 1.2 million people, cutting across nearly every country in the world.
Solely interested in going about doing good and fostering friendships across races, regions and religions, one of their greatest accomplishments is uniting forces with others to kick Polio out of the world. Annihilate, exterminate and extinguish that curable disease that delights in permanently deforming our children.
Back to the lessons from the photo I talked about earlier. Businesses, especially serious businesses, should learn to plan ahead. We mouth succession planning daily without giving it any bite. And that is why most sole proprietorships don’t last beyond their founders. Even some partnerships get consumed by this lack of prior, proper planning.
Same with most clubs, organizations and churches. In fact, our churches are becoming the major arena for such. A founder or General Overseer, like they are called by their members, goes to be with the Lord and all hell is let loose on the church over who succeeds him, usually between his wife and some senior pastors.
In a particular popular church situated in the Ejigbo area of Lagos, the founder’s wife and some elders of the church have so washed their dirty linen in public that the courts have waded in, and are now poring through all the documents submitted by both parties before giving the final verdict. This could take months, years or even decades, as the case may be.
Now, before you begin to query what clairvoyance credentials I’ve got to make such a prediction – it’s simple. In fact, very simple. Instances abound in Nigeria today where upon the demise of the church founder, the wife and elders still bicker unabatedly. So much so that the church has either been balkanized or is now a shadow of its old self.
The same thing applies to some families where their patriarchs departed intestate. Especially in acrimonious and polygamous homes.
Interestingly, even some monogamous homes are no longer insulated. They too are joining the train.
Why? Because of lack of planning, unnecessary delay, bending the rules, shifting the goal post in the middle of the game, short-sightedness and the like.
Thanks so much Rotary for pointing us in the right direction. But above all, thanks for teaching us this vital lesson on succession planning and again planning ahead.
Long live District 9110 Nigeria, long live Rotary International.
– Azuh Arinze is an Assistant Governor, Rotary International, District 9110 Nigeria and also the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine as well as author of the bestsellers, The CEO’s Bible and Success Is Not Served A La Carte