About three weeks ago, young boys drawn from the defunct Benue Plateau, Kaduna and old Cross River states, who are old students of Government College Katsina Ala in Benue state from 1975 -1980, were in Abuja for their annual reunion meeting.

The last reunion was held in Jos on August 1-3, 2025. None of the Set members who was aware wanted to stay away from the Abuja meeting.

The choice of Abuja was popular for more reasons than one. The record of attendance was a major talking point, as some members who never attended in the past were anxious to meet their classmates they last saw 46 years ago.

Even though the allure of the federal capital city was never mentioned; members were resolved to raise the bar and deepen its activities by changing the course of responsibility about their alma mata.

The alumni members came from Canada, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Makurdi, Jalingo, and Jos. Apart from the banters that are often a major exhibition and hallmark during such meetings, there were more to be discussed.

While desirous of the changing trends where alumni associations play critical roles in building the fortunes of the alma mata, they would want to add a voice to what old students are expected to do in the life of the school that gave them so much.

There are numerous issues that are being treated by members, which are daily changing the narratives in the development of the school for the better.

Many may recall, the Set’s intervention to provide befitting infrastructure to an institution that has given a lot to members; to become what they are today.

Each time such reunion meetings take place, discussions and more references to the good old days often refresh the nostalgic feelings of participants to want to play progressive roles.

The desire of the Set to give back to the institution is not a one off idea; more than ever, far reaching initiatives are on the burner waiting to be churned out for the development of the school.

If the Set 80 had not responded to the concerns of the school in the past, it would have been hard put to know where to start. As things now stand, there are a number of areas for which interventions are being sought for from the old students.

A few years ago, the Set became one of the first to undertake to renovate and furnish the administrative block of the school. If for anything, that initiative opened the floodgate of various intervention works in different areas that needed to be attended to by other sets.

Realising the roles alma mata play, President of the Katsina Ala Old Boys Association, Chief Anthony Adda, was the special guest of the set. The set is privileged to be in the exco with one of its members as vice president.

The challenges for inputs before set members are enormous, but surmountable if meaningful developments are to be made available by all.

Reeling efforts of the exco towards changing the face of the institution, Chief Adda informed members of the forthcoming launch for funds to upgrade the school’s infrastructure on October 21, 2026 in Abuja.

It is the desire of the association that every chapter, set, and member would play critical roles expected of them in changing the narratives of the institution for good.

Over the years, help and assistance have come from different sources. Some have contributed heavily in various ways for the school. It is in this regard that the Set believes it is about time General TY Danjuma GCON was honoured by naming the school after him on account of his philanthropy to the institution.

One of the issues which the Set wants the attention and interest of the Benue state government is that, “considering that it is the oldest post-primary school in the state with its students across the nation, government can leverage “the potentials for assistance coming from the old students.

In the Set’s desire to keep stocking the fire for assistance to the school, more interventions are on the road. For instance, in far away Canada, a Set member, Dr Monday Gang Gala, made contacts with two former teachers of the school.

Already, one of the two, Mr Raymond Penner, will soon be on his way to Nigeria to facilitate a response of the Set for a science outreach in about 10 schools in Katsina Ala and environs.

The Set 80 has urged the “Benue State Ministry of Education to provide the necessary approvals for this important initiative”; so that the opportunity will not be wasted and or taken to another location or state.

One of the major contributions the Set 80 ensured it became law was the welfare of its members. It has continued to take centre stage because members can only be visible if they took care of themselves.

All through the two-day Abuja reunion meeting, it was not all work without play. It is often said, without play, Jack remains a dull boy; and the Set members are not in that mould of this truism.

For those who know, Rita Lori Hotels on Ahmadu Bello way, Abuja is one of the oldest in the city. Blessed with a resident live band called Extreme Voltage, it kept the boys dancing old tunes they are used to in their youthful days until the wee hours for two days running.

Despite the years, long and dreary, they had not forgotten their dancehall steps. They arrived Abuja with their dancing shoes, not minding that most have creaking bodies whose ‘spare parts’ are hardly available.

Nonetheless, an event that is held once in a while must be utilised to the fullest; even if it meant using a walking stick to support the body frame while on the dance floor.

The owner of Rita Lori Hotels couldn’t have gotten better guests. For two years running, she told the Set, she stayed away from the business given that she is advanced in age.

The 76-year-old proprietor of the hotel, Chief Rita Lori, was literally pulled out of “retirement” to come watch the boys dance to the soultry voices of the three in-house singers: Tricia, Mabuza, and TJay.

Chief Lori told the Set members matter of factly, when told she had 40 guests for two days from different parts of Nigeria, she could not but return to the investment that has brought her fame in the tourism industry.

… Gobum writes from Abuja