By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The 1971-1975 set of the Government Secondary Bauchi (GARU Old Boys) at the weekend brought together members of their set to celebrate their Golden Jubilee.
The occasion, which attracted other members of the famous GSS Bauchi, was held at the premises of the School, which now housed the State owned Aliko Dangote College of Nursing.
The 50th Anniversary of the GARU Old Boys class of 1971-75 was marked in a nostalgic atmosphere of pleasantries, camaraderie and banter among the old students.
The 1971-75 Old Boys also used the occasion to recognise and honour some of the old students among whom was the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, who is also an Old Boy of the famous GSS Bauchi.
Acknowledging the honour and recognition, Governor Bala Mohammed (an old boy), who was represented by his Principal Private Secretary, Hashimu Yakubu Kumbala (also an old boy), congratulated the GARU Old Boys set of 1971-75 for celebrating their Golden Jubilee.
While expressing his appreciation for recognition and award bestowed on him by the GARU set members, Governor Bala Mohammed stressed the need for unity among all sets of the Garu Old Boys saying, "We should strengthen the fraternity that bound us together and be our brothers keepers. The privileged ones among us should support the not so privileged ones for them to be able to stand on their feet and take care of themselves and their families".
Governor Bala also disclosed that the State Government is currently constructing a new structure that will serve as GSS Bauchi.
"I am pleased to inform you that a new GSS Bauchi is being built, at least to retain the name and provide us, the Old Boys, a place we can call our Alma Mater with students and infrastructure physically on ground", said Governor Bala Mohammed.
In a keynote address titled "Nostalgia", Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin (1971-75 set) appreciated God Almighty for sparing their lives to witness the Golden Jubilee of their set.
Mr. Gin, who served as Head of Service (HoS) in the Bauchi State Civil Service, pointed out that most of their set members have left worthy legacies in public service and their respective communities, stressing that, "We must appreciate the fact that the last 50 years was a life well spent. As our sun gradually sets for us, we are now more than ever before closer to our Qur'an and Bible and are regular attendees in our Churches and Mosques.
"We should also note that this may be the first and last golden jubilee for all of us and so we thank God that enabled us to witness today. Allah ya sa mu yi Kyakkyawan Karshe", said Mr. Gin.
Going down memory lane, Mr. Gin remembered that when they came in 1971, they met a nationalistic school where students were admitted from all over the nation, particularly the northern Region, with teachers being recruited from various ethnic nationalities including foreigners from Egypt, South Africa, England etc.
While acknowledging the efforts of Governor Bala Mohammed aimed at building a new GSS Bauchi, Mr. Gin said, "I want to express our collective gratitude to His Excellency, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON (Kauran Daular Usmaniya) the Executive Governor of Bauchi State. We are most privileged to have him as the Chief Executive of Bauchi State and one of our own at GARU.
“We were saddened when Government Secondary School Bauchi was transformed into something else which almost buried the history of the School. There were frantic efforts by old boys of several sets of the School to get successive State administrations to bring back the important and historic School but to no avail.
“When Sen. Bala Mohammed came in, he quickly set the ball rolling to re-establish the school. Now a site has been secured along Bauchi-Kano road and the school is already under construction. GSS Bauchi will soon be restored by the will of God and Governor Bala Kaura is responsible for achieving that feat indeed".
There were goodwill messages from some of the old boys, from both mates, seniors and juniors that included the Chairman of Bauchi State Chairman of civil service commission Dr. Ibrahim Alhaji Mohammed (mni), the National President of Garu Old Boys Association, Alhaji Uba Ahmed Kari (Wazirin Bauchi) and Chairman of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Chief (Dr) Amos Yaduksu Gizo, among others.
Part of the activity marking the Garu Old Boys Golden Jubilee was a visit to the construction site of the new GSS Bauchi that is being carried by the Bauchi State Government.
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