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Prestigious Lagos Social Club, the Association of Friends aka ‘Up Asso’, has elected a new Management Committee with Otunba Kole Olatunji, a banker and businessman emerging as the Club’s President, to pilot its affairs for a two-years tenure.
At its Annual General meeting which took place in Lagos, on Sunday January 29, 2023, the elected executive committee members include former General Manager of Lagos State Material Testing Agency, Dr. Tajudeen Afolabi who becomes the Vice President. Others are, Mr. Tayo Banjo and Mr. Kessington Adegbuyi were also elected as the Clubs General Secretary and Assistant Secretary, respectively.
Prominent Journalist, Mr. Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi was elected as the Social and Publicity Secretary, while Otunba Femi Oyebanjo is the Assistant Social Secretary. Other elected officers are Aare Rotimi Ishola as Facility Manager; Otunba Stephen Ojo as Internal Auditor and Prince Gboyega Akinyemi as Financial Secretary.
Also, Mr. Omotayo Shenaike was elected Treasurer together with Mr. Ernest Ajasa as Welfare Officer; Mr. Supo Famuyiwa as Legal Adviser; Mr. Babatunde Wilkey as Sports Secretary and Otunba Shakiru Bello as Chief Whip.
According to a brief by the Club’s Social and Publicity Secretary, Aliu Mohammed, the Association of Friends popularly known as “Up Asso” came out of the vision of some young men with eight of them deciding in 1978 to concretize their fledging relationship and dominance of social space into a sustainable institution that will outlive them.
The foundation young men who are now in their late 70s and early 80s are Alhaji Sule Onabiyi, Otunba (Arc) Festus Adeleke Adesina, Engr Akinlawon Akanni Abiola, Late Oba Fatai IRawo-Ogunsi, Late Prince Ayinde Adesiyan, Evangelist Kola Sanyaolu and Mr. Sunday Adigun.
“As the name implies, Association of Friends was formed by some jolly childhood friends and to be a member, you have to be recommended by two friends amongst other qualities before being admitted as a temporary member of the Club. That condition is maintained as an integral part of our admission policy.
We have our membership from across all sectors including ex-Governors, Royal Fathers, distinguished legislators (serving and past), Captains of Industries, Retired Security Top Chiefs, Honorary Commissioners, Directors and Senior Management of Corporate giants, high ranking Politicians and Captains of industry and Entrepreneurs.”
Furthermore, he said; “ours is an equal opportunity club, where any member can aspire to any position once he can demonstrate capacity and competence. Like any formal organization, the key to our continued leadership is discipline as we adhere to our Constitution which provides the tools for both the management and discipline within the Club.
The Club has been involved in various community outreach programs and It is worthy of note that every of our projects we undertake like provision of medical assistance to indigents, construction of boreholes for communities and many more from inception to date were and are fully financed through the goodwill and generosity of our members who contribute generously to finance our projects.”, explained Mohammed.