BSS @70: Rippling effects  on nation building

  It all started like the biblical parable of the sower who set out to sow seeds in the field on a fateful day, some  fell  along the path and were eaten up by birds, some on rocky ground  which got burnt by the sun and the other among the torn bushes which  later grew but got choked by  plants. EZEKIEL DONTINNA writes

FORTUNATELY for the sower, some of the seeds fell on a good and fertile soil and sprouted to produce uncountable corns with some producing hundred, sixty and thirty grains. This can also be compared to the parable of the mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds that grew to be the biggest of all plants to house  nest for  so many birds.

These parables is no doubt akin to the story of Sudan United Mission (SUM) after some  young Cambridge University graduates came to Gindiri   and spread seeds on the field which later grew to produce one of the wonderful and  famous Boys’ Secondary School, (BSS) Gindiri.

When the Sudan United Mission, (SUM) came asking for a space to establish what subsequenctly grew to be the present day Gindiri Compound Schools, the perceptive euphoria that heralded the request at first was quite strange to forefathers of Gindiri, because of the show of appreciation and engagement of young people in western education which what attracted much attention.

Infact, what was then seen as a mere child‘s play and received with mixed feelings ended up connecting the community internationally with the crops of Nigerians who graduated from this great institution. They were subsequently all over prestigious first generation universities both here in Nigeria and abroad doing the school  proud.

Back then, little did these generous and accommodating forefathers knew that this land would one day grow to produce these wonderful fruits  which has not only been eaten by the Gindiri community alone today, but the world over. 70 years down the lane, you can be rightly assured that, no bounds has never been recorded in any professional regards than GOSA.

However, it will interest one to know that, BSS Gindiri started in 1950 with very few students trained by these young graduates from Cambridge (all white men) grooming them to be exceptionally outstanding and competing with the best of best of early times.

Reminiscing on the impact and contributions these boys had made to the development of our society and how large they have grown to be fathers and grandfathers to many, they saw the need to celebrate the school’s Platinum Jubilee (70 years) and also give back to the community and the schools they had gained therein.

Although, the celebration came a year after due to the unpredictable advent of Covid-19 in 2020 which ravaged the world, the demonstration of the spirit to give back to the school and also celebrate God’s faithfulness kept the school flag flying to this special day.

No wonder, the immediate past GOSA President, Prof. Rotgak Gofwen thus considered the delay as an added advantage for them to complete projects set in commemoration of BSS 70th Anniversary celebrations. All roads leading to Mangu through Jos, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue etc went agog with  GOSA members jubilating and celebrating God’s faithfulness.

It was quite a weeklong activity at the Gindiri Compound ahead of this 70th anniversary celebration as events unfolded corrologically to climaxed last Sunday.

These activities started with spiritual outreach held last Monday November 1, 2021 sending the message of God’s faithfulness to all the schools. This followed with a two day free medical outreach at the comprehensive Health Center (CHC) Gindiri where over a thousand indigent patients with different illnesses were diagnosed and treated.

A day of this exercise saw over 200 patients with eyes defficencies diagnosed and out of the 200 cases   , 61 with severe optical problem were operated upon. Others whose problems were not that severe, were also given free optical lens or spectacles ranging from short to long sightedness with the exception of 8 persons who were found without any deficiency.

News of this free medical outreach spread like wild fire to neighbouring communities and local government areas, attracting people from far and near as they scampered for   space to access these free medical facilities. It was truly worthwhile since none went away without being attented to because there were enough facilities to reach all especially those with diabetise, hypertention, ulsar amongst  other non-referable illnesses.

The Central planning Committee of BSS @ 70th led by its Chairman, General John Temlong also embarked on courtesy calls on the Council Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area, Hon. Daniel Minister Pukat, Sum Pyem, Da Charles MatoDakatand  Mishkagham Mwaghavwul, Da Nelson Bakfur intimating them ahead of the celebration and  sought for their various blessings.

That same day, the association carried out another land mark event which was the commissioning of its first ever GOSA  National Secretariat, named after the late JD Gomwalk of GOSA set 55, at Ahmed Adamu Muazu House Dogon Karfe Jos. Apart from the well equipped offices and conference hall, the secretariat also has a separate structure constructed for a new foundation in honour of the school’s famous Principal, Derex Charles Joy DC Joy Foundation.

The secretariat was commissioned by the Plateau State Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonnie Gwamle Tyoden, who is  GOSA set 67 and  was flagged by the outgone GOSA President, Prof. Rotgak Gofwen, COCIN President, Rev. Prof. Dachollom Datiri (the schools’ Proprietor),   Executive Secretary, TetFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro and a host of other dignitaries to mention but a few.

Thereafter, a special magazine was launched in memory of late Derex Charles Joy, who was the brain behind both Junior/Senior Spartans, mountain climbing expeditions and 100 miles compass trek that trained students to walk from Gindiri through Bokkos, Pankshin, Tafawa Balewa and   other places.

Other array of activities within the week included; Verbatim Magazine Beacon of Hope Award to some dustinguishedpersionalities among whom were the Executive Secretary, TETFund,  Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, Dr. Abifani Ayo, Prof. Ochapa   Onazi, Prof. Abubakar Kundiri, Engr. Prof Dakas Clement Dakas, Egnr Sunday Hyat and other persionalities in that order.

On Saturday November 6, 2021, the 70th anniversary celebration day, both GOSA members and friends trooped in to celebrate  special day. The display of GOSA spirit was glaringly at play with many recalling the old school days. Some obviously would not mind passing the night to have a taste of how they were while still in school back then.

The occassion also witnessed the presence of some high profile persionalities like, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Ishaku Diarus, who came with his wife, a GOSA set 76 and donated N20 million and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who promised to build a multi-purpose hall for the Girls’ High School (GHS) Gindiri, in honour of his father-inlaw, the late General Iliya Bisalla.

The Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, whose Deputy is GOSA set 67 was also there celebrating with them and  appreciating the missionaries for their foresight to have brought western education.

While commissioning the Derex Charles Joy Modular Laboratory Complex, constructed bt the Prof. Gofwen led executive,  he commended GOSA products for their tremendious contributions to the development of the state and the country at large and promised to give all alumni associations in the state support so that he could tap from their programmes to transform public schools.

After the commissioning of the remodeled Dining hall by the Speaker of House Representatives, who was repesented by Member, representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam, in the Green Chamber, Rt.  Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Governor Diarus Ishaku, of Taraba State commissioned Owen David Wilmshurts Assembly the hall as members proceeded to Jos for a diner at Crispan at hotel Jos.

While at the diner, the former Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, delivered a Maiden Inaugural Annual Lecture of the Derex Charles Joy Foundation, tittled; “Derex Joy, the Quintessential Metaphor of Uncommon Service to God And Humanity” to mark the 70th Anniversary of Boys’ Secondary School, Gindiri.

He said, “I share the sentiments and commitments of those who found it appropriate to establish the D. C. Joy Foundation,  because this will continue to promote the remarkable legacies of our revered hero and attract more people to emulate him thereby inspiring more achievers and visionary leaders who are galvanized by selfless service to humanity”.

The weeklong occassion climaxed with a Re-Union Service held at the Ulster Church in Gindiri  Compound, where all the schools in the compound met for a Thanksgiving Service. Some of the schools included; the School for the Blind, COCIN Comprehensive College, Boys’ Secondary School, Girls’ High School, COCIN Bible Seminary College, Staff College Primary School and the Demonstration School amongst many others.