The Bayero University Kano (BUK) 1991 set Alumni Association (BUK ’91) on Saturday hosted a colourful dinner at the in Kano, in honour of two of their classmates who rose to the pinnacle of academic leadership.
The celebrants were Professor Haruna Musa Dambatta (12th Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano), and Professor Yahaya Isah Bunkure (Makaman Rano), pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Zaria.
The programme, which featured prayers, self-introductions and welcome remarks by the Chairman of the Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu Shamakeri, climaxed with the presentation of customized congratulatory cards to both honourees in recognition of their remarkable achievements and appointments as Vice Chancellors respectively.
The event also witnessed moments of entertainment, refreshments speeches by colleagues and other guests and inspiring responses from the two professors, who expressed profound gratitude to their classmates and pledged to remain committed to the service of education, humanity and BUK ’91.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were members from various parts of country cutting across the public and private sectors such academia, Federal and States Ministries, Departments and Agencies, military, police and other security agencies, businessmen and women. There were also friends and well wishers of the celerants from Bayero University Kano and the newly established Federal University of Education Zaria ant Chief Medical Director of National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala, Dr Nurudeen Isah, amongst others. Their presence added colour and prestige to the gathering, which highlighted the strength and unity of the BUK ’91 family.
In his vote of thanks, Alhaji Sanusi Garba Abdullahi, Vice Chairman of the Association, commended members for their solidarity and for celebrating excellence within their ranks. He noted that the honour done to the Vice Chancellors was also a celebration of the collective spirit of the set. The event rounded off with closing prayers, group photographs, and warm camaraderie that reflected the enduring bond among members of the class of 1991.
Reminiscing on the event, a member of the BUK ’91 class, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), said the dinner “was not just about titles or offices. It was about shared journeys, youthful dreams and the bonds that time has only deepened. In that hall at the 10 to 10 Restaurant, Alu Avenue in Kano, we laughed, prayed, told stories and looked with pride at two of our own who now carry the torch of leadership in two of Nigeria’s citadels of learning. Their words of gratitude were moving, their humility disarming and their commitment to service inspiring.
“For me, it was far more than an evening of celebration. As I watched Professors Dambatta, fsi and Bunkure, I felt honoured to see in them the reflection of our collective struggles and triumphs, the long nights of study, the camaraderie of our yester years youthfulness and the dreams we once shared in the classrooms of BUK. Their rise is not theirs alone; it is the story of us all, the triumph of friendship, perseverance, faith and quest for academic excellence that brought us together at BUK.
“A particularly heartwarming highlight of the evening came from one of our own, Dr. Sirajo Salisu Dankama, the immediate past Managing Director of Jaiz Bank and now the pioneer Managing Director of Summit Bank. In a noble gesture of support to Professor Dambatta’s tenure, he instituted a prize for the best graduating student of Banking and Finance at Bayero University Kano, to run for the next five years. His act of generosity and foresight spoke volumes about the spirit of BUK ’91, a spirit of giving back, of lifting others and of nurturing excellence for generations to come.
“I must also express deep gratitude to my childhood friend, brother and secondary school classmate, Dr. Nurudeen Isah, the Chief Medical Director of the National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala, for his esteemed presence at the occasion. Along with the family members, friends and some staff of the celebrants from the Federal University of Education, Zaria and Bayero University Kano, his presence added warmth and depth to the evening, reminding us all of the beauty of lifelong bonds.
“Everywhere I looked, I saw the joy of classmates who had travelled from far and near, old friends reunited and colleagues from every walks of life, the military, the public service, business, medicine and academia, all gathered to honour excellence that was born in our midst more than three decades ago.
“As the night drew to a close with photographs, handshakes and warm embraces, I left with my heart full, grateful to witness history, proud of my brothers and humbled by the enduring bond of BUK ’91. Indeed, it was a night when friendship, destiny and achievement beautifully converged.”