A Legacy of Service: Sandra Umeh Esq bags Award of Excellence from Rotary International

The hall was filled with applause, banners of blue and gold, and the proud spirit of Rotary on Saturday evening.

When the RCA President called Mrs Sandra Nneka Umeh, a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) to the stage to receive the Excellence Award for Meritorious Service as Membership Chairman, the ovation was immediate.

It wasn’t just for the title. It was for the work behind it.

During the “United” year, the RCA had the task of keeping members engaged and bringing in new, passionate Rotarians who would stay and serve.

As Membership Chairman, Umeh didn’t just chase numbers. She built relationships.

She visited clubs across Lagos and Ogun, sat with both district and international presidents and membership chairs, listened to their struggles, and designed ways to make recruitment feel less like paperwork but more like purpose.

She ensured mentorship of new members, ensured induction ceremonies felt welcoming, and championed diversity so that Rotary reflected the communities it serves.

By the end of the United year, the RCA recorded one of its strongest membership growths in recent years.

But more than the statistics, the club felt united.

Clubs were stronger, members were more active, and service projects had more hands to carry them.

That’s why the Excellence Award felt so fitting. It recognized not just results, but the heart she put into the role.

Today, Sandra Umeh continues that same drive in a new capacity.

As current Chairman of the Economic and Community Empowerment Committee for the “Creating Lasting Impact” year, she has shifted focus to what happens after people join Rotary: creating real, sustainable change.

Under her leadership, the committee is pushing vocational training, micro-grants for small businesses, financial literacy workshops, and community projects that help families become self-reliant.

Her legal background and passion for justice give the committee both structure and compassion.

“Service is not a one-time act; It’s a commitment to keep showing up, to keep building, and to leave communities better than we met them.” Umeh said while receiving her award

From uniting members to empowering communities, Sandra Umeh embodies what Rotary stands for.

The Excellence Award was a moment of recognition. Her work is the lasting impact.

Congratulations to Mrs. Sandra Umeh, Esq
District 9111 is proud of you.