Speech by Joseph Olalekan Adenuga on the 30th November 2016
We
have come a long way dear mates. I can still remember the discussion about our
association in 2010 with Ogunmade after service at DAYSTAR. He narrated how
several efforts have been made to re-unite the set and how those efforts have
met a brick wall. As he spoke I was inspired and told him it would work out
this time. We started mining data, calling people on our phones sending SMS and
Facebook messages. Many of you will remember receiving messages to send your
details so we could build a database. There were some hesitation as to what
would become of the database and who may have undue access to it. But there was
a general excitement about the idea of coming together once again. So we
launched at that faithful day at TFC.
Like
every new born, expectations were high, passion was hot but then expectations
had to be managed while emphasising the necessity to reconnect and rekindle the
same fire we had several years back in JOGS. Besides, many years have passed
and we had surely developed into men of varying experiences and characters in
the real world. It was important to reinstate trust in ourselves first. Trust
was bestowed on the pioneering executives to channel the course of our great
association. As the years rolled out, we have experienced our different growth
milestones, it did not seem clear what we will become at the beginning
nevertheless our goals centred around three main pillars: Bondin, Structure and
Give back.
Our
bonding has been greatly accelerated through the adoption of technology
platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. Our meetings and get-togethers have
brought our families even closer. Our representation at one another’s functions also made this happen. Trust is fast building as
we now see the ease of more of our mates willing to participate without any
suspicious feeling of unwholesome use of accessibility.
The
association has moved from a state of tabula rasa to a measure of structure
over the years. From legal and official name registration to constitution,
registration with national body, dues, bank account, meetings, get-togethers
and many others are things that we have all worked tirelessly to achieve to
give the association the structure it has today. The just concluded election is
also an attestation to this structure being put in place.
In
this period we have been able to coordinate our efforts at giving back to JOGS.
One classroom was fitted with chairs and tables to facilitate learning in the
school. Our little drops of dues, did good on that project, the national body
and the school remain grateful for our effort.
During our time as
executives three of beloved mates, Lekan Buraimoh, Alaba Olusanya and very
recently Aderogba Hassan passed on to glory. Though they are no more among us,
their memories remain in our hearts and may their souls rest in peace.
Together
over the last six years we have been able to contribute funds not only our dues
but also to the welfare of our mates. Our collective effort and response have
gone a long way in providing solace/help to our members in precarious
situations. There have been times when compassion have been needed and
sometimes when principles have to be maintained for posterity sake. We’ve evolved with each challenge helping us put structures and
principles in place for the future.
I
am confident that this is just the beginning albeit a worthy beginning and
greater things are ahead of us. The new executives selected by all of us are in
no doubt able to steer this association to the next level of development and
growth.
For
record purposes see attached to the speech the names of the outgoing and
incoming executives. We have put down a proposal to the incoming executives for
the establishment of an Advisory council comprising of the outgoing executives
which only act as its name reveals in an advisory capacity. This is to harness
the benefit of history and lessons at the executive level. We have also proposed
to establish a tenured regime for executives to take advantage of the blooming
talents among us. In addition, I would like us to create a different type of
democracy not like the conventional type where elections and campaigns breed
factions and seeks to differentiate us more than unite us. The peculiarity of
our association may not be able to withstand the evil of democracy. Our
association is peculiar because the entry level is seemingly automatic and exit
is not imaginable; our demographic is very stable hence it cannot be compared
with the regular common interest groups around. I would therefore implore the
incoming executives and all of us to brainstorm on the best way of governing
ourselves especially leadership transitioning that would foster the unity we
all desire. On a different note, the outgoing executives believes our bond is
about ripe for a pilot-phase for venture investments. Many models exist that we
can adopt and many talents are available among us that we can utilise in
executing it justly and transparently.
At
this point I want to express my sincere appreciation to every participating
JOGSOBA’98 member who have
been there all this while especially to the due-paying members and members who
respond to special welfare calls. You have demonstrated your belief in the
association and without your resources, we couldn’t have achieved much. I also express my profound gratitude
to the project and welfare committee members who have sacrificed their time and
convenience for the progress of the association. I thank you for your labour of
love. Words would fail me to express how grateful I am to the indefatigable
outgoing executives. I make bold to say that you gave your best even without
being the first; you thread the path of significance even against prominence.
You made presiding and association governance look so easy while you soak in
the sweat of selfless deprivation of convenience. From the depth of my heart I
say thank you and I commend your families for their understanding when duty
calls.
As
a fan of Winston Churchill’s
biography, I would end this speech with three quotes from him. To my
co-outgoing executives note that “We
make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. Our lives have no doubt being made by the tireless efforts
we have given to this association. To the in-coming executives “Continuous effort –
not strength, not intelligence –
is the key to unlocking our potential”.
Don’t stop, keep moving.
And to my fellow JOGS’98
mates, “We shape our
buildings, thereafter they shape us”,
we shape our association and thereafter the association shape us. Let’s take care how we build together.
UP
JOGS! UP JOGSOBA'98!!!
Out-going
Pioneering JOGSOBA’98
Executives (2010 to 2016)
Joseph
Olalekan Adenuga (President)
Olamide
Ojoye (Vice President)
Niyi
Ajanlekoko (General Secretary)
Olufemi
Okuyelu (Social Secretary)
Remi
Oladipo (Financial Secretary)
Goke
Sokoya (Chief Whip)
Babafemi
Ogunmade (Permanent Secretary/Admin)
Ayodele
Olalekan (Admin II)
The
Incoming JOGSOBA’98
Executives 2016
Olufemi
Okuyelu (President)
Adekunle
Adeboye (Vice President)
Owolabi
Adewale (General Secretary)
Patrick
Olufemi Dada (Social Secretary)
Babatomiwa
Kuroju (Financial Secretary)
Goke
Sokoya (Chief Whip)
Babafemi
Ogunmade (Permanent Secretary/Admin)
Ayodele
Olalekan (Admin II)
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