FED. GOVT COLLEGE ABUJA GRAND REUNION: WE MADE MOVIES OUT OF MOMENTS From North and South; form East and West. We gathered several years ago, as infants, to learn in the then nascent city of Abuja. Years happened and we all dis-gathered, going far and aside even to the uttermost parts of the globe. March, 22nd, 2014, we were to make history by gathering once again from all corners of the nation and the nations, in the now full blown city of Abuja to celebrate our common institutional ancestry and the heritage we share as siblings of a common home. The double pronged event, tagged FED.GOVT COL ABUJA OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATIONS GRAND REUNION/NATIONAL ELECTIONS AND DINNER, drew attendance beyond the limit of imagination. From North, South, East and West and even from the frontiers of the globe, erstwhile boys and girls, now ladies and gentlemen, converged on Abuja, in the prestigious Lagos hall of TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL, to pledge allegiance to ourselves and the Alma mater that made us . In high spirits, we flooded the premises of the Transcorp hilton hotel as early as we could. Brothers were to meet brothers , as sisters were to meet sisters. Shouts, jubilation and excitement rent the air. It was as if years have never happened between us. We let loose to bantering, bracing, backslapping, hugging and other shows and expressions of affection. Faces, filed with smiles, radiated like stars of the southern hemisphere. The ambience of the premises looked as if heavens have met the earth in a lovely and benign splendour. There indeed was a je ne sais quoi in the ensuing aura that could only be prevalent when true brothers and sisters get together. We indeed mingled and flowed, presenting a classic movie for all times. The house was however called to order at 11 o clock in the fore noon, with opening prayers and remarks, followed by our anthems. With the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) members seated on the high table, and senior brothers and sisters in the front rows; we proceeded fully into the business of the day, with the cameras of our minds recording every step of the movie. The various sets took turns to greet the family and announce their presence. Rotimi Toluhi was to give a run down on the activities of the NCC and a brief history of the FGC Abuja Old Students Association. We pay tribute to him for his financial grace that got the association registered in 2009. Our recordings were to run smoothly through the morning belt of moments, but were interrupted by a younger member of the family, who, having some misapprehensions about the NCC and feeling that the activities of the day were misbegotten, attempted to introduce a fatal drift to our proceedings. But Hon. Mohammed Sani Idris, was to warn that we would not allow any form of youthful idealism to privilege itself over substantive realism, and, with that caveat, he sounded a death knell on an attempt to take the days proceedings off a normal tangent. Back on course and alignment, at the instance of the electoral committee, led by magisterial Temitayo Ojeleke, the house dissolved into sets: with the sets electing a consensus candidate to clinch the positions allotted to them in the national executive committee (NEC) And they emerged: Rotimi Toluhi,(89 set, President), Cyprian Amgbah (90 set,my own school father, representing the diaspora, Vice President) Ahmed Yesufu (91 set, Sec Gen) Okey Umeano (92 set, Fin Sec), Ahmed Tijjani Sani (93 set, Treasurer) Bassey Ekanem (94 set, PRO). These brothers of perceived integrity and believed prudence in men and resources husbandry; alongside Bawo Lori (Tosan Ilori), Sanusi Ohiare, Awal Mairiga, Shittu Zakari, Ameh Ignatius and Buba Aliyu Galadima constitute our national exco.Looking at the composition of the exco, I remonstrate about our insensitivity to gender mainstreaming in the selection of our leaders. My remonstrance however should not be misconstrued as disagreement with the collective wishes of the sets as spoken. I can only appeal to our collective conscience to take a second look at this trend subsequently. The elections done, we took a tea break and resumed at 7 pm for the dinner. A deputation from the principal of the school came to dine with us. The smiles on their faces said it all -- they had much mirth in our midst. As the evening drew a bigger attendance than the morning event, it was yet another round of tete - a- tete. As captured by the cameras, so many held hands all through, some leaned on others shoulders, saying no words but communing with their heart beats. I heard it said that looking at us, someone dissolved into tears at the event. Tears? Fake or real? Ask me not, for if you ask me, na who i go ask? But nothing can be ruled out, as anything is possible when a soul finds itself where it feels free, loved and secure. The dinner, a three course buffet was indeed sumptuous, offering so much to whoever cared to indulge. Maturity has indeed taken a good toll on boys. No one massacred! No one rushed! Everyone exhibited good etiquette. Wow!! So many however preferred socializing to wining and dining. Reminiscences and jokes were shared as we ate.Rotimi Toluhi had earlier shared the hidden crush which Ekpe Ndiyo confessed to have had for Amina Attah, while Kolade Afolabi was to confess his crush and fanta for Abiola Mensah and Efe Akelemo. Obinna Ufudo, by whose grace, we were at the Transcorp Hilton, addressed us as a good host would. We were to dance, like we did during the social gathering nights of old. As Nnamdi Eronini, Amina Ilyasu Attah, Nengi Jumbo, Azuka Echekoba, Omokolade Afolabi etc took to bubbling and shuffling on the dance floor, one could only wish that providence ushers a second chance at being kids in FGC Abuja boarding house. I called to memory the moves and swags of our boys and girls back in the day. I remembered Arus Iriri and the break dances of old. Talking of the break dances, I also remembered Folasade Coker-Afolayan . Kwali was indeed fun!! Arus Ariri incidentally refused to give us some steps, choosing a placid disposition, far removed from the saturnine Arus Iriri , the Juremi Ikomis friend, we knew in FGC kwali. Time indeed changes men.(laughs). Yes! Azuka Echekoba (Zukky Creazions) was her bohemian self in her eclectic designs. Her dance steps, as captured by the cameras, were simply peculiar. The songs and dances were halted,when Mr Emmanuel Uko made a special guest appearance at the event. Mr Uko,our dear music teacher for all times, who gave rhythm to our cherished anthem indeed honoured us with his presence in-spite of his tight schedule.We cant thank him enough.For him, we did a command performance of his song (the college anthem) to his admiration. A reunion cake was all the while rested on a table in the hall. The privilege of cutting the cake was given to our ladies, with Amina Attah, Imam Mariam Alaba, Akelemo Efemena, Ekaette Moma and Ajoke Aremu leading the rest. Music and dance resumed as the cake was shared. As the night went through degrees of maturity,no one seemed willing to depart. I wished we could build booths at the venue, I wished I could turn back the hands of time, I wished we could go on and on being together.I wished this. I wished that, but, cry my beloved: wishes are never horses. As I stole glances at Maigaskiya Sadiq, Sabo Yusuf, Abdulqadir Abdurrahman,Norbert Chukwunwike Oleah, Chris Agboli, Ekpe Ndiyo, Dike Nwabunor, Usman Ajun Ndayako, Jephtha Ogbonna,Obinna Ufudo, Mohammed Sani Idris, Victor Ofili,Emeka Okere, Lanre Ojeleke, Obiakor Chike, Sunny Azaki, Charles Nwachukwu, Temitayo Ojeleke, Wilfred Okpanachi, Victor Legogie, Ahmed Yushau,Talatu Danjuma,Imam Mariam Alaba,Amina Atta,Cyprian Amgbah, Charles Oguamanam, Krukrubo Ibiyekaribo Morgan, Nengi Jumbo,Niyi Oyebade, Opia Valerie,Engr Musa B. Ibrahim, Debo Adepiti and indeed all of us; I took a deep breath and wished the Nigerian enterprise could be given to us to manage. Surely, that would be the end of Nigerias albatross, Do you doubt me? Our gathering was indeed a huge success.We made memorable moments, but above all, WE MADE MOVIES OUT OF MOMENTS. (This is just part one of the movie, part two would be shot sometime in November. Will you make the dramatis personae?)lol
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 00:40:34 +0000
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