PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State – July 1, 2025 – As the new Rotary year commences, District 9141 is poised for a transformative journey under the leadership of its new District Governor, Rtn. Anthony Woghiren. In an exclusive interview, Governor Woghiren articulated a compelling vision for the district, firmly rooted in the inspiring Rotary International theme of “Unite for Good.” He emphasized a commitment to fostering unity, driving purposeful collaboration, achieving impactful membership growth, and significantly contributing to The Rotary Foundation, all while ensuring sustainable service across the district.
“As we embark on this Rotary year with the message ‘Unite for Good,’ my vision is centered on fostering unity, purposeful collaboration, growing impactful membership, significant contribution to The Rotary Foundation, and sustainable service across all corners of our District,” Governor Woghiren stated. He underscored that “Unite for Good” is not merely a slogan but a powerful call to action, urging Rotarians to set aside differences and leverage collective strengths in service to humanity, whether addressing community development, health, education, or environmental protection.
“Together, We Can Do More” – The Guiding Principle
The guiding principle for his leadership this year, Governor Woghiren revealed, is profoundly simple yet powerful: “Together, we can do more.” He outlined three strategic pillars to achieve this:
- Strengthening and Growing Clubs: Through intentional membership and leadership development, the District will focus on attracting and retaining passionate individuals. This includes revitalizing existing clubs, encouraging diverse membership, and mentoring new leaders to ensure Rotarians are well-trained and conflicts are significantly reduced.
- Community Impact through Scalable, Collaborative Projects: Governor Woghiren is championing inter-club collaboration to implement high-impact signature projects, notably the District’s PET (President-Elect Training) project: “WATER FOR ALL.” This approach aims to address larger-scale issues across all seven Areas of Focus by pooling resources.
- Increased Giving to The Rotary Foundation: Highlighting The Rotary Foundation as the “bedrock of our organization,” the Governor stressed the importance of boosting participation in the “Every Rotarian, Every Year” initiative. He aims for higher levels of club and individual giving, with an expectation of significant contributions on July 1st to mark the new Rotary year’s start.
“Above all,” he added, “I want us to rekindle the joy of Rotary—where service is not a burden but a fulfilling expression of who we are to our community and ourselves.” He called on every Rotarian to be a “bridge-builder, a peace promoter, and a servant leader,” urging them to unite “not just in meetings or events—but in heart, action, and vision.”
Strategic Priorities for Unprecedented Impact
When asked about his top strategic priorities, Governor Woghiren elaborated on the three key areas shared during recent training sessions for the 2025-26 Rotary year:
- Strengthening Weak Clubs and Membership Growth: Emphasizing that “a United District begins with strong, vibrant clubs,” he detailed plans for club revitalization, diverse membership encouragement, and robust training to ensure relevance and appeal, especially to younger professionals.
- Community Impact through Scalable, Collaborative Projects: Beyond “WATER FOR ALL,” the Governor underlined the importance of clubs uniting across geographical and ideological boundaries to maximize service impact.
- Increased Giving to The Rotary Foundation: Reaffirming its critical role in funding lasting change, he stressed that increased contributions reflect “our unity and commitment to sustainable development globally and locally.”
These priorities, he explained, are crucial because “our world is calling for Rotary’s brand of ethical leadership and inclusive action.” He sees “Unite for Good” as a “roadmap” that will position District 9141 to “lead with heart and leave a meaningful imprint that cannot be equivocated.”
Measuring Success: A “ProMax” Standard
To measure the success of his vision, Governor Woghiren will leverage various Rotary International tools, focusing on key performance indicators: net membership growth (including new clubs and retention), increased participation in The Rotary Foundation giving and grants, the number and scale of impactful service projects, and club engagement/leadership development levels. He also plans periodic evaluations and celebrations for clubs exceeding targets at District events, aiming to “consolidate on the gains of the previous year and take our District to the next level.”
Revolutionizing Membership Growth and Engagement
Membership growth and retention are core values for the upcoming year, with the Governor asserting that “membership is not just a number on my priorities—it’s at the heart of everything we will do this year.” To attract and retain members, particularly younger professionals and diverse communities, his strategy rests on three strong pillars:
- Modernize the Experience: This includes launching e-Clubs and cause-based clubs, encouraging flexible meeting models (virtual, hybrid, casual), and adopting storytelling-focused branding to portray Rotary as a network of changemakers.
- Localized Recruitment Drives: Clubs will be supported to implement a “Bring One, Keep One” challenge, encouraging existing Rotarians to mentor new members for retention.
- Build a Culture of Belonging and Purpose: Strategies include creating a “THE PROMAX STARS” community for new inductees, recognizing member contributions, conducting regular check-ins, and celebrating sponsors.
The target outcomes by June 2026 are ambitious: a 30% net membership growth, at least 30 new clubs chartered, a retention rate of 85% or higher, and a minimum of 35% women and 25% youth representation in new intakes. “When Rotary feels purposeful, flexible, and inclusive, it becomes irresistible,” he affirmed.
Empowering Clubs for Enhanced Effectiveness
Empowering individual clubs is central to Governor Woghiren’s strategy. He plans a multifaceted approach:
- Capacity Building and Learning Seminars: Continuous learning through monthly series and workshops for club officers and members, including participation in the Rotary Leadership Institute.
- Strategic Club Support: A consultative approach from the District Secretariat, with Assistant Governors providing hands-on mentoring tailored to each club’s needs.
- Recognition and Incentives: Celebrating innovation, growth, and impactful service to boost morale and encourage idea-sharing.
- Enhanced Communication and Collaboration: Strengthening channels to keep clubs informed and encouraging inter-club projects to pool resources and best practices.
- Grant Access and Project Funding Support: Providing structured assistance for accessing District and Global Grants, building on the success of 16 Global Grant applications submitted during the International Assembly.
Innovative Approaches to Fellowship
Beyond traditional meetings, the Governor envisions a dynamic mix of innovative approaches to boost member engagement and foster stronger fellowship:
- Celebrating Rotary Family Day Events: Informal, interest-based gatherings like hobby clubs or picnics.
- District-wide Virtual Fellowships: Monthly learning series featuring inspiring Rotarians or experts.
- Coordinated District-wide Service Activities: Bringing multiple clubs together for simultaneous projects on Rotary Day.
- Mentorship Circles: Connecting younger and older Rotarians for mutual learning and deeper fellowship.
- Recognition and Storytelling Platforms: Using social media and the newsletter for monthly spotlights.
- Rotary Exchange Program: Encouraging cross-club collaboration and friendship within the district.
Governor Woghiren concluded with a powerful call to action: “We will unite for good—and grow for good. Let us truly Unite for Good and make this a Rotary year a Promax year to remember.”
