Second Birthday Anniversary of the Ad-hoc Committee for the Centenary Celebration of Tiddo Yo Daddo Alumni Association, GMMC Yola on 16th November 2021.

 TIDDO YO DADDO ROAD TO THE FINAL CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS.

SECOND BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADHOC COMMITTEE FOR THE CENTENARY CELEBRATION, TYD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, GMMC YOLA ON 16TH NOVEMBER 2021.

Behold! The second birthday anniversary of the Adhoc Committee, a creation of the Congress of the TYD National Alumni Association of the great school, General Murtala Muhammad College, GMMC Yola comes up on Tuesday the 16th of November, 2021. Like the twinkle of the eyes, two years has rolled by stealthly,  barely noticed. Even though with flurry of Adhoc Committee's activities, strategies and planning to beat the Centenary year Celebration timelines. A near miraculous or impossible assignment to achieve, going by standards set for preparations for such celebration in other climes. An example I often refer to was the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Federal Government College Sokoto. Alumni Association members of the FGCS started preparations for their 50 years' Golden Jubilee celebration in 2005 when I was Principal of the school. That was ten years to the Golden Jubilee year, 2016. As Principal I collaborated, cooperated and assisted the alumni association members in planning for the then pending celebration. The old students members approached me and requested I increase my school 2005 budget by N300million. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education was FGCS Alumnus; Senator Mbata. The increased budget would be defended by fiat of the Chairman Senate Committee on Education in order to get funds for the school to upgrade infrastructure and facelift. Even with the budgetry constraints in 2005, the school had N80million added to it's 2005 budget. The N300million additional funds was to have been spread had Mr Mbata remained Senate Education Committee Chairman. He was removed along with the Minister of Education. However, FGCS celebrated its Golden Jubilee in a grand style. Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon was the Chairman of the one week final celebrations. Guests of Honors, Excellencies, Distinguished alumni, some of who were ambassadors, Generals of the Nigerian Army, former foreign and Nigerian outstanding Principals and teachers alive and Government officials, general members of the FGCS Alumni family, the Press and the general public were in attendance. I was honored as one of the three outstanding Nigerian Principals of the school in its 50 years existence. It was such a wonderful experience that I can hardly forget. It led to my cry out in an article in Daily Trust of Monday 5th August 2019, which I often refer to as the trigger article that precipitated the birth of the Adhoc Committee. The Committee saddled to prepare for the Centenary celebration of the one hundred years old School, GMMC Yola.

×few days to the final celebrations

I went down the memory lane to draw comparison with the two months to centenary celebration year preparations for the great school. GMMC Yola was officially founded in 1920 and was 100 years old in 2020. Preparations for such once in a century celebration in other climes would have started at least 10 years before the celebration year. 

×From R-L: Salihu Baba Ahmed PRO, Prof. Bashir Aliyu Secretary, Sa'adu Abubakar Gambe Chairman, Ahmed Abbo Vice Chairman and an Alumni from Taraba state. During a press conference

Here we are, the alumni association of the great school, with a destined Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic infractions, as one overflogged excuse. We, TYD National Alumni Association had no functional administration on ground. There was no tenable, functional executive committee, exco, on ground. The school that was turning to be a hundred years old itself did not exhibits signs of such monumental celebration. The Principal, Mr Adamu Bello, who is not an alumni of the College, probably was more aware and concerned about the then pending centenary celebration. Like others who were woken up over the realisation of the short time to the impending centenary celebration of the school through the trigger article in the Daily Trust of Monday 5th of August 2019.  The Principal, Mr Adamu Bello, scouted for people to discuss with and a platform circle emerged where Engineer Hassan Sulaiman, Architect Ibrahim Mahmoud, Professor Yusuf Muhammad, Professor Bashir Aliyu, my self etc started chatting as to the where about of the any Executive Committee, Exco, of TYD Alumni Association. The Principal was indeed directed by Professor Bashir Aliyu of MAU to meet me because the trigger article made references and calls on many distinguished alumni of the old School alive not to allow the occasion to pass uncelebrated. The Principal and his staff met me in my house. At the meeting the Principal was advised to use his unique position as the Principal, though he was not an alumni, to call for a general meeting of the Congress of the Tiddo Yo Daddo Alumni members, across the country. The Congress meeting was fixed on 16th of November 2019. The attendance at the meeting, though exciting but far from forming a quorum. So enthusiastic and excited members decided not to allow a slip that would cause a possible failure to celebrate the centenary of the great school, a decision to put an AD-HOC COMMITTEE IN PLACE TO PREPARE A BEFITTING CENTENARY CELEBRATION for GMMC Yola in the coming year 2020, two months away, was taken. Adhoc Committee members were nominated. The committee was inaugurated and it held its first meeting the same venue the same day with my humble self as the chairman. The rest is history.

×Muhammad Ibrahim Atta and Mr. Geoffrey Garba the Chairman Finance subcommittee and Efada Udoh. 

THE MANDATE OF THE ADHOC COMMITTEE AND THE EMERGED INEVITABLE AGENDA.

The Adhoc Committee was inaugurated with the specific blanket mandate to prepare for a befitting Centenary Celebrations of the great school. The basic urge of the members was to ensure a realizable gala, get together, jolley  good time meeting of members to, dance, jubilate, eat, drink, listen and watch speeches, traditional dances, drama and exhibitions. This could have ensured the celebration was done within the few months in the centenary year 2020. Hundred years birthday would have been over through two months preparations! CERTAINLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST DISGRACEFUL HONORS TO THE ICONIC SCHOOL THAT HAS PRODUCED ICONIC PEOPLE RIGHT FROM ITS FIRST SET  IN 1920s, 1930s ONWARDS. The Muhammadu Ribadu, Mormoni Bazza, Hamidu Alkali, Ahmed Joda, Iya Abubakar, Bamanga Tukur, Gambo Jimeta, Jibrin Aminu, Hassan Adamu, Ibrahim Alfa, Paul Chabri Tarfa, Abubakar Barde, Ahmadu Gombi, Sa'adu Abubakar Jalingo, Amtagu Ted, Andrawus Sawa, Daniel Sulaiman, Murtala Nyako, Abubakar Alhaji Rufau, Aliyu Muhammad (Walga), Buba Madaki, Barkindo Alkali, Mahmoud Modibbo Tukur, Jantiku Mamza, Istifanus Mayaba, Sulaiman Hammadama, Sa'adu Abubakar Gambe, Atiku Abubakar, Magdiel Samaki, Kharisu Chukkol, Aliyu Kama, Adamu Aliyu all of up to the 1960s. The next high flyer sets of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s onwards to 2010 sets, who are up and coming top retired or current movers and shakers of the political, administrative, security, economic and business climate of Nigeria; Alh. Umar Hamidu Modibbo, Timaus Mathias, Abubakar Jijiwa, Sahid Umar, Daheeb Sulu Gambari, Prof. Bashir Aliyu, Prof. Yusuf Muhammad, Sa'adu Dahiru, Dalhatu Chindo, Abubakar Modibbo, Arch. Ibrahim Mahmoud, Dr. Hamidu Bobbyi, Major Gen. Chika Eze, Eng. Saleh A. Yakubu,...

 Many Greats have pass on in the first half century sets of the school. The most mobile, younger distinguished sets of 1970s 80s 90s 00 and first 10 years of the 21st century, who are also in the majority, have been bubbling with a lot of enthusiasm and interest to see their alma mater shines like the northern star amongst the great schools in Nigeria. All sets, old and younger, were unanimous to ensure a befitting centenary celebration for the school at 100 years. Nothing less. YET TIME WAS GROSSLY INADEQUATE, NOT FAVORABLE.

× Ahmad Yusuf Basarki, chairman of Technical subcommittee and an alumni.

THE EMERGENT AGENDA.

1. However, with the spirit of 'never die' with which the TYD Alumni products are  known for, the Adhoc Committee resolved in its first meeting, the day it was inaugurated, to live up to the bidding. The AD-HOC committee surveyed the school environment and reviewed comments of parents and Alumni members who visit the school frequently only to find that the school celebrating its one hundred years existence is in TOTAL RUINS AND DILAPIDATION. The boarding house and corporate life of the school was a disgrace to the school that produced so many legendary people in Nigeria. IT WOULD BE  SHAME TO ASSEMBLE GUESTS TO COME AND  CELEBRATE SUCH UTTER NEGLECT AND EYESORES. So, Adhoc Committee had an inevitable unforseen agenda thrust  into the blanket mandate; to as part of the CENTENARY celebration, EFFECT A FACELIFT PROGRAM BEFITTING THE MONUMENTAL OCCASION. Thus, the Needs Assessment Charts were prepared after pains taking inspection tours round the school with the Principal, Mr Adamu Bello. The charts were slotted into lots for endowed alumni sets and individuals to pick for repairs, renovations or supplies for shortages. Infrastructure facelift projects and Special Needs projects estimated at N700million and N1.5billion respectively were slotted and Adhoc CALLED ON TYD National Alumni Association MEMBERS, CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS AND PHILANTHROPISTS TO PICK LOTS FOR EXECUTION. Thank God, about N550million facelift projects and some Special Needs projects have been successfully executed and some handed back to the school after approval by the Technical subcommittee of the Adhoc Committee. The Adhoc Committee by now has metamorphosed into the Local Organising Committee, LOC. The Adhoc Committee/LOC that started with zero budget, its call was heeded and the phase one of the celebration is a resounding success. That was a necessary but unforseen agenda of compelling need in preparations for the centenary celebration. The phase one aspect alone turned out to be the most important, most relevant and impactft aspects of the centenary celebration

2. With the phase one projects either Completed or waiting to be picked for execution, the Ad-hoc/LOC foresee the projects in three categories, the short term facelift projects to be completed, expectedly before the final celebrations, medium term projects that could be on going before, during and after the final celebrations. The long term projects, either for the huge financial estimate and volume of work to be done, would take a long time to execute. These are in the Special Needs projects and they include projects like the  TYD Auditorium, which will include TYD Secretariat and TYD Press Limited, the School Mini Stadium etc. However, Adhoc/LOC with a short lived tenure was fully aware of the situation. The Committee has been making sure that sign posts for seamless TYD National Alumni Association administration takes over the rudiments of AD-HOC LOC Admin structures it has evolved and maintained to execute such successes in phase one. Adhoc LOC, by its plans and activities,  added other inevitable  unforseen agenda.

i. Through the requests by members during the last General Congress meeting, Adhoc LOC was requested to constitute a Constitution Review Committee to make appropriate changes or amendments in the TYD National Alumni Association Constitution such that situations like tenure extension, seamless transition from one exco to the next are addressed to give active and vibrant TYD Executive Committee, Exco.

ii. Adhoc  Committee LOC should conduct the national elections to usher in a new exco as the existing Exco has its tenure ended without an election since 2011, some of the members are dead, others senile by age or ill health. Adhoc LOC, is in a better position to conduct the elections few days to final celebrations or a date to decided by the Congress. Any member of the Adhoc LOC interested in the contest must resign membership of the Adhoc LOC before contesting.

3. Adhoc LOC must prepare a comprehensive handing over note to the next TYD National Alumni Association Exco. Broad handover items must include the following:

i. TYD Bank accounts operated by the Adhoc LOC during its tenure.

ii. Proper financial reconciliation of all the operated accounts.

iii. Updated Needs Assessment Charts clearly indicating picked, unpicked lots. Ongoing projects and executed projects. Handed over to school where necessary or yet to be handed over back to school.

iv. Special Needs projects. Picked and unpicked. Executed or yet to be executed. Most Special Needs projects are for the ownership of TYD National body, hence the reason to elect a viral Exco to continue the long term and uncompleted Needs Assessment Charts of the AD-HOC Committee together with the statutory roles and continued functions of the alumni association. Here we are talking about handing over to TYD EXECUTIVE that will continue the excellent works and ethics laid forth by the tenuous Ad-hoc Committee. The Ministry of Education nor the school administration can be handed over the TYD Alumni Association projects in the Needs Assessment Charts because the MOE or the school overlooked or did not address them as priorities. We, the Old students prioritize and particularized for our alma mater. We know where the pains lies through our visits and those of parents and general public.

v. TYD rudimentary admin facilities acquired or inherited, such as furniture, office equipment and materials and office staff if any would be noted, shortlisted and handed over properly.

vi. Any other commitments, liabilities, materials and equipment would be similarly accounted and properly handed over.

vii. Proper handing over is necessary considering the following:

a). The amount of money involved in the interventions. About N700million naira in curriculum and corporate life aspects and nearly N1.5billion naira in long term TYD and School Special Needs projects.

b). To reactivate the comatosed national executive committee, breath life into it and saddle it with the aims and objectives of TYD Old Students Association as it appears in our constitution and operated by other similar old students associations of even younger schools. We hope and pray that with unity of purposes and I'm the spirit of TYD Alumni, the National Exco will ever be visibly present and available and assessible at anytime and anywhere to all members.

The existence of Tiddo yo Daddo alumni association national body is perpetual and is expected to wax stronger from henceforth. At the moment the old students association of some younger institutions are apparently more corporate in Organizations than TYD National Alumni Association, which is a misnormer.

Excellencies, Distinguished alumni, young and old, who have seen the Centenary of our great college are called upon to show unity, love, patience and collaborate and assist in the final phase scheduled December 20 to 23, 2021, God willing. You are also urged to make observations, comments, corrections and additional suggestions on the road to the finals please.

×The ADHOC Committee members during a visit to the Founding President of TYD Alh. Dr. Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa former Vice President of Nigeria.

I WISH TIDDO YO DADDO NATIONAL ALUMNI FAMILY A HAPPY CORONAVIRUS PROTOCOL COMPLIANT CENTENARY CELEBRATION DINNER/AWARD FINAL EVENT ON 23TH OF DECEMBER 2021. 

I am meticulously preparing my handing over note, as a working dcument, for the expected TYD Alumni Association reinvigorated Exco.

CHEERS.!

Sa'adu Abubakar Gambe.

Chairman Adhoc/LOC, TYD National Alumni Association, GMMC Yola. 15th November 2021.