Rimi College, Kaduna old students who graduated in 1982, have disbursed cash and assorted tools to 34 less privileged colleagues as part of efforts to improve their living conditions.
Alhaji Nafiu Iro, Chairman of the association, announced this on Saturday in Kaduna during a special convention to reunite the former students.
Iro said that some of the old colleagues collected cash to support their businesses while some got farming equipment like water pumping machine, among others.
He said that the focus of the forum was to reunite, develop and keep social contacts among the school alumni while exchanging ideas and helping each other to achieve excellence.
“We have also lost many of our members and the class forum has put in tremendous efforts to support the deceased’s families.
He said that the less privileged among its members also received palliatives during thd COVID-19 pandemic.
“We empower members according to their kind of occupation; a farmer gets farming equipment, insecticides, livestocks among others, while others get tricycles to feed themselves and their families,” he said.
The Chairman said that eight members of the association were empowered in 2005 and 10 others in 2007 comprising five from Katsina State and five in Kaduna.
He said that 16 others members benefited from the gesture in 2009 and 2011.
In their seperate remarks, some of the old students expressed delight over the convention, saying it brought back good memories of their years in the past.
Mr Simon Allan-Number, retired Executive Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said he was happy to meet his schoolmates after 40 years.
“I am happy to meet my old friends today; some are late and we prayed for them. We created this forum to see how we can help the families of deceased members and see how we foster unity and empower some of us.
“Moving forward, we want to see how we can extend this to our children and family so we foster unity where they can help each other and help themselves,” he said.
Alhaji Muhammad Bawa, an engineer, described the convention as “a step in a right direction,” and suggested for inclusion of their families in the next convention, to foster unity and togetherness among its members.
Also speaking, Abbas Ahmad, Legal Adviser, Kaduna Electric Company, commended the large out of members at the event.
He urged the incoming executives of the association to improve on the frequency of meetings and revenue generation.
Another member, Peter Sofa, a retired civil servant, called for awareness creation activities to mobilise participation in subsequent meetings of the association.
“All fingers are not equal; some of us excel while some did not, that is why we come together to assist those members that are in need,” he said.
On his part, Benjamin Ikheloah, Deputy Director, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), said the convention was a special one as majority of the members have not seen each other for the past 40 years.
He lauded the leadership of the the association for identifying some members in need and supporting them.
(NAN)
