Osunkeye receives Rotary’s highest honour for humanitarian service

Foremost Nigerian philanthropist and corporate leader, Olusegun Osunkeye, has been honoured with Rotary International’s highest individual recognition, the “Service Above Self” Award, in recognition of his decades of humanitarian contributions and support for polio eradication efforts in Nigeria.

The award was presented during the conference of Rotary District 9111 held in Abeokuta, underscoring Rotary’s continued commitment to the global fight against polio.

Osunkeye was recognised for over five decades of service and for being the highest individual donor to Rotary District 9111’s polio eradication initiatives across the country.

Since the launch of the Polioplus programme in 1985, Rotary International has worked with partners including the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to combat the disease worldwide.

The initiative has contributed to a more than 99.9 per cent reduction in global polio cases, with Africa officially certified free of wild poliovirus in 2020 following extensive vaccination and surveillance campaigns.

Rotary said Osunkeye’s donations have significantly supported immunisation exercises, healthcare outreach and related projects aimed at protecting millions of Nigerian children from the disease.

Representing Rotary International President, Francesco Arezzo, Past District Governor Francisco Ssemwanga commended African Rotarians for their growing influence within the global organisation and urged greater accountability in humanitarian interventions.

“African Rotarians must continue to push their weight amongst the global community of Rotarians, especially ahead of this significant year for the African Rotary family,” he said.

“We must care for one another and ensure that our donations are followed up rigorously so that their impact becomes sustainable and far-reaching.”

District Governor Henry Akinyele, who presented the award, praised Osunkeye’s legacy of service and commitment to humanitarian causes.

“Chief Osunkeye’s remarkable strides in service to humanity, especially through donations to activities of this district, are legacies worth celebrating,” he said.

In his acceptance speech, Osunkeye described the recognition as a tribute to collective efforts in humanitarian service rather than personal accomplishment.

“I accept this award not as a personal achievement but as recognition of the efforts of those who have journeyed with me,” he said.

“The challenges confronting our world today — poverty, illiteracy, diseases and social division — remind us that service to humanity is no longer optional; it is an important imperative.”

A past president of the Rotary Club of Ikeja, Osunkeye is also known for his contributions to corporate Nigeria, having served as the first Nigerian Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria Plc.

He is a recipient of the national honours of Commander of the Order of the Niger and Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic.

The conference also featured a panel discussion on polio eradication and a keynote address by Tim Akano on reimagining service and purpose through humanity-centred leadership.