This year’s anniversary celebration aptly themed “The Upliftment of Hope” took place on the Clubs Lawn with a press conference and interactive session with journalists which was quickly followed by moving tributes to departed members and a moving retinue of jazz music performances.
The elite club, established in 1938, had only recently reopened, following the COVID 19 lockdown, amidst very strict protocol, following relaxed measures announced by the Presidential Task Force and Lagos State Government.
The one-day event, which saw prominent and distinguished guests in attendance was supported by iconic brands including Coca-Cola Nigeria which incidentally also marks 67 years of locally producing the internationally recognized beverage, by its bottling partner Nigeria Bottling Company in its bottling plant in Ebute-Metta Lagos in 1953.
The long-term partnership between Ikoyi Club and Coca-Cola Nigeria has seen meaningful support of various sporting activities including badminton and golf, with the club hosting the Coca-Cola sponsored golf tournament tagged “Road to Mauritius” in 2018.
Speaking on the anniversary, the Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd, Yebeltal Getachew expressed an affinity for the mood and theme “The Upliftment of Hope”, noting that 2020 had been a challenging year and as such the event was aptly tagged.
In his words, “Our corporate ideals align with those of Ikoyi Club. We have a corporate purpose to refresh the world and make a difference in Africa. We like the Club’ are doing all that we can to reach out and empower people who have especially been impacted by this disease.”
His statement follows reports of Coca-Cola’s recent partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross Societies (IFRC) to procure and distribute over N200 million worth of medical supplies and protective wear to frontline health workers and volunteers in Nigeria.
Coca-Cola Nigeria have also recently launched a new campaign known as “Open Like Never Before” with a big philosophy – of hope, inspiration, and optimism – that we believe will resonate with people everywhere.
It supports and celebrates its retail partners, including small businesses, local hotels, cafes, clubs, and restaurants, many of whom will be reopening their doors to communities after a very challenging time.
The campaign builds on the long tradition of optimism and social cohesion for which the brand is best known and seeks to support partners like Ikoyi Club 1938 open like never before.
Similarly, Ikoyi Club marks 82 years of philanthropy, generosity, and corporate and societal good, evolving from an aristocratic European Club born on September 29, 1938, to a thriving influential community of well-meaning and distinguished members buoyed with a mission to advance ideals of global harmony through recreation.
