“Twenty children can’t play together for twenty years” — Yoruba Proverbs
Little wonder, Millennium Club, Kabba, rolled out drums, pomp and pageantry in celebration of its 20th anniversary of existence, service to humanity and friendship. For the Millennium club, hers is a case of 20 children/friends who have not only played together for 20years but also grew double from 20 children to 40 children in 20years.
Behold, the Millennium Club, a peer social, non governmental, non partisan, non sectarian, collection of astute, focus, progressive, dynamic, resourceful, noble ladies and gentlemen of like minds.
Sometimes in 1998, having just finished secondary (high) school and awaiting the next leap into the tertiary institution, then the dream of having a group to help students/youths academically and socially was conceived by some boys and girls, which was largely informed by the dearth they experienced. So, in 1999, they brainstormed further on how to work this dream aimed at impacting their generation positively.
Lo, this phenomenal dream came to light and with the coming of the globally most anticipated new Millennium, year 2000, the Millennium Youth Club (MYC) was birthed. As years went by the name was later changed to Millennium Club but the acronym (MyC) was retained.
At inception till like 6years afterwards, the Millennium Club members (Millennites) were using their pocket monies to bankroll projects like quiz competition and debate for secondary schools students, test of knowledge for primary school pupils, symposium/ enlightenment campaigns and rallies against social vices, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS amongst others, during semester vacations because Millennites were largely undergraduates at this time.
Time ushers in change, the Millennium club evolved as Millennites became graduates in virtually all fields of endeavor from Medicine, Engineering, Law etc to becoming professionals like seasoned bankers, technocrats, lecturers, Scientists, Journalist, Policy strategists, Administrators, Captains of blue chip industries, chartered fellows of various professions, Military and even the noble Priesthood; all scattered across the globe with presence in four continents of the world.
The structure of the club’s programs took a drift towards empowerment in diverse forms, with schemes like Students Assessment and Mentorship Scheme (SAMS), which basically is a scholarship scheme for indigent senior secondary school students who are brilliant, with the outstanding and malleable amongst them getting further mentorship and sponsorship through tertiary institution. The club has on various occasions taken up one-off school fees payment by answering “Save Our Soul” calls from random tertiary institution students who were on the verge of dropping out of school due to funds.
Similarly, Millennium Club “We care” outreach program provides welfare in form of foodstuffs to the aged and widows as well orphanage support during the yuletide in kabba and its environs.
In a bid to ameliorate the effect of the economic recess and provide financial literacy and empowerment, the Millennium club has a cooperative society that has helped and still in the business of helping to remedy economic malady of the public.
Another example in the litany of community oriented programs of the club is the “Millennium Club Reflection Moment (MCRM)”. This is a fortnightly publication that enables youths as well as all and sundry to gain from Millennite lives’ experiences, by way of social engineering, success coaching, inspiration amongst other enlightenment indices.
No doubt, Millennites eagerly anticipated the year 2020 to grandly commemorate their 20 years of friendship and service to humanity, with beehive of activities already lined up all year long to celebrate and merry.
Unfortunately, the year 2020 was interrupted with COVID19 and as such the club had to scale down its scheduled ceremonial activities for the 20th anniversary.
To however mark this milestone event low key due to COVID19, earlier in the year the club provided relief materials for the community during the COVID19 lockdown period, it also organized a webinar on business opportunity in the emerging world facilitated by Dr Henrietta, the Director of academics, Lagos Business School and one of the first African visiting faculty to the Yale School of Management, then the activities crescendoed to a private dinner held in accordance with COVID19 protocol, with most Millennites joining online on 27 December, 2020. All these is asides the regular club’s yearly program like the yuletide Millennium we care welfare for the aged, widows and orphanage.
In the meantime, the club has concluded plans to as part of “Millennium we care” outreach program, sponsor the enrolment of sizeable number of poor and vulnerable individuals in the community into the health insurance scheme for easy access to healthcare.
Finally, the year equally witnessed an election of the club’s new central executive council. It is worthy of note that the club has experienced three different successful reigns, and the outgoing exco is led by Michael Bertola Ibitomihi (Club Mayor), Kayode Lewu (Executive secretary), and Raphael Arokoyo (Finance Director) while the incoming exco is led by Paul Duile (Mayor Elect), Michelle Mayorkun Owolagba (Executive secretary Elect), and Joy Oluwatoyin Folorunsho (Financial Director Elect). May the new excos have eventful and successful tenure.
Certainly, 20children can and have played together for 20years because there is genuine love and friendship to stand the test of time as demonstrated by the Millennium club, this friendship bond within the club is exemplified by six (6) Millennites getting married to each other, making three (3) couples and have been happily married for at least 10years and counting till forever.
It has indeed been 20years of service to humanity, friendship bonding and fun moments. The Millennium club holds the bragging rights on their 20th anniversary. Looking at the 20years journey so far, it is a big deal.
God bless Millennium Club!
Log on to www.millenniumclub.info for more details.
