It was a moment of thanking God and recalling the old memories for the 1984 set of the Mass Communication Department of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as they gathered in Kwara state at the weekend for another reunion after 39 years of leaving the University.
The Alumni group, nicknamed ‘The Family’ kick-started its 2-day reunion activities with a courtesy call in Kwara state deputu governor, HE Kayode Alabi and ended it with a Dinner
The group used the reunion to extend a kind gesture to the less- privileged in society, They visited the Amoyo rehabilitation center in Ifelodun Local Government and donated food items and cash to the inmates.
The Family also visited Esie Museum, the first – ever tourist centre in Nigeria located in Irepodun Local Government of the State.
The reunion activities were rounded up with dinner where a top Opthamologist and Permanent Secretary, kwara ministry of health, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla delivered a lecture on eye care at old age.
Speaking with pressmen at the Amoyo rehabilitation centre where the food items such as rice, Semovita, beans, noodles, beverages, Spaghetti, and toiletries were donated, the chairman of the group, Mr. Fred Ohwahwa, alongside his fellow Alumni expressed displeasure over the unpalatable condition of the centre .
“Although this comes as our little way of appreciating God in our life, what we saw here is unpleasant, I believe these people are God creature like us and they deserve more attention and caring.
“They have a right to live like us, but unfortunately, there is nothing here that shows this is human rehabilitation and it is very depressing. What we saw here is a challenge to us as a group, and we will try and do more.
“Thank God, the Commissioner in charge is here, the government attention is highly needed here. The situation here is very depressing and it is a challenge to us and every wealthy individual in the society.
“As a group, we will try our best to see what we can further do to support this center, but the government must please, come to their rescue by making this place more conducive to serve its purpose of establishment.”
Expressing appreciation to the group, the state Commissioner for Social Development, Chief Mrs Afolasade Opeyemi Oluwakemi, who led the UMCAA members to the centre, thanked the group for their kind gesture and said she deliberately brought them to the center.
“His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has renovated all other similar centers and made them more conducive, but as we all know that government alone can’t do it all, we have also been soliciting support from Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), wealthy individuals, and groups like yours because we know that the people here are human like us and they deserve better treatment.
The group visited Esie Museum where they made a case for the incorporation of culture and history in Nigeria’s education system.
The Family members Otunba expressed satisfaction with the reunion activities.
Says Otunba Abiola Oloke, “It has been a very enlightening visit, the stories behind all the soapstones we saw at Esie museum are faith and archeological-based. Imagine what they found in 1775 and based on that over the year the first National Museum was set up here in Esie in 1945. When we are talking from a religious angle, if we can believe that fish swallowed Jonah, if we can believe that somebody’s wife was transformed into a pillar of salt, why is it difficult for us to believe that a small community at that time did something or something happens and they were transformed into soapstone by their creature.”
According to Dr. Mrs. Yinka Daramola, tge only female member in the delegation, “Coming to Kwara for a reunion has been a knowledge-generating experience, yes, we left University almost forty years ago, although, I have been to Kwara, a couple of times, but I have not gotten to the level I have seen. At the rehabilitation center, many of us were deeply moved and shed tears about how can we debase humanity to this level. It was deeply touching and we plan to expand on how our group can further be of assistance and alleviate the living standard in that particular rehabilitation house, now coming to Esie Museum Center raises the question of why history is removed or why the younger generation be denied the knowledge of this happened and we learn from it and move on, so it has been a worthy experience for many of us.”
The group later held a dinner party where the deputy Governor Mr. Kayode Alabi was a special guest of honour. He was ably represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Mrs Abosede Olaitain Buraimoh, who thanked the group for finding Kwara worthy of their reunion and their kind gesture to the less privileged members of the society and called on similar groups to emulate Class of 1984 Mass Communication Department of UNILAG said society needs more of such.
The group was also sensitized on ways to maintain good eyes in old age by a Medical expert, who cautioned them against patronizing or using the local treatment for eyes saying it’s corrosive and also charged them to always seek a second professional opinion about any of their health challenges.
The Alumni group expressed appreciation to the team of the local organizing committee, headed by the ex-commissioner in the state and member of the executive board of the International Press Institute (IPI) Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin for the hospitable and interesting activities undertaken in the course of the 2-day reunion programne
