It was a nostalgic homecoming for Bayero University Kano (BUK) graduating class of 1992 when they converged from various walks of life to mark the 30th graduation anniversary of their exit from the institution.
Inspired by the creation of a WhatsApp group in April 2016, the BUK 92 forum has spent over N20 million on indigent students, sick persons, the less privileged and prison inmates, among others, between 2016 and 2022.
Speaking at the 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner, Chairman of the forum, Mr. Muhammad Dahiru Sa’ad, said since inception, the group has consistently been donating in cash and kind to various orphanages, assisting flood victims, freeing prison inmates and assisting them with start-up capitals, while also assisting some of their members who have medical challenges, among other humanitarian activities.
Dahiru Sa’ad said the forum is planning to build a more permanent structure at BUK, as part of giving back to the society that molded their future.
“Since our coming back together in 2016, we have paid scholarships, tuition fees for indigent students, ransoms for kidnapped members, offset medical bills of less privileged, bailed out awaiting trial inmates and lesser offenders, among other interventions, running into millions,” he said.
Speaking on the formation of the group through WhatsApp, a former student, Rakiya Abubakar said: “After the reunion through WhatsApp group, we have been able to nurture and sustain the various relationships we formed more than 30 years ago through this medium.
“We interact through the chat platform and generate funds and other forms of assistance to members, the school and the communities. The platform has made it possible to know about the whereabouts of some of our schoolmates, some of whom we have not met since 1992.
“Because of this group, we have been able to relate and be of assistance to one another. It will not be out of place, to say our WhatsApp group is the bloodline, the backbone, the very essence of our several interventions to humanity and the community.”
Other speakers, Dr. Kabiru Said Sufi and Dr. Dahiru Sani said using the online group in keeping in touch is beneficial and added that without it, keeping the forum together would be near impossible.
Sani Kankarofi, a serving Deputy Commissioner of Police and Chairman, Organising Committee of the anniversary celebration, described the gathering as momentous.
Spokesperson for the group, Mr. ElYakub Shehu said: “Through the online group which reunites us, it has been easy to know what is happening to members, their environment, identifying those in a precarious situation and provide them timely assistance.
“It is gladdening to observe that our members work in various sectors including academic, judiciary, business, politics, security and diplomatic services, among others.”
Also, in his remark, Publisher of PM Nigeria and Economic Confidential, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, said their yearly get-together is a platform for members to show brotherly love towards one another.
A former lecturer of the set, who was in attendance at the event, Professor Aliyu Dauda, stated that throughout his decades of teaching experience, he is yet to come across a class that is so humane, considerate and sympathetic, as the BUK Class of 1992, especially in the areas of community and other interventions to the university.
