Buratai Calls for Unity as Command Old Students Reunite

By Henry Tyohemba, Abuja

A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has called for a strengthened sense of unity among the Command Secondary School Jos Old Students Assocoiation (COJOSA).

Buratai made the call at the COJOSA mini-convention and grand reunion held in Abuja at the weekend which gathered Alumni from various Years, began on August 30^th with a pool party and an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and concluded with a grand dinner on Saturday.

In his speech, Buratai commended the alumni for their efforts in building a 1,500-capacity auditorium at the School and urged other associations to follow suit in developing their alma maters.

He encouraged the Command Schools’ Graduates to take advantage of Army University, Biu, noting that it is a University free from strike disruptions.

Earlier, the President of COJOSA, Femi Akinpelu-Dapson, noted that this was the association’s reunion, the first of which was held in 2018 at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos. He explained that the Association aims to leverage its strength to foster interaction, networking and involvement in the alma mater’s activities.

Emphasizing the need for discipline, progress and unity outlined in the School’s motto, he stated “The more we unite, the better for us as a Nation.”

“Not only do we have plans, but this is also what we have always been doing. The Command Secondary School Old Students Association is one of the Country’s most vibrant old Student Associations.

“Currently, we are constructing a 1,500-capacity auditorium at the School to serve as a dining facility and a multi-purpose hall for computer-based tests. We have renovated classrooms, installed solar water schemes, and upgraded various structures, including Hostels.

“Additionally, we have launched a mentorship program that enables our members to return to the School and mentor current students. Over the past three Years, this program has been a central focus of our administration,” Dapson said.

According to him, the association is organizing older sets into mentor groups for the graduating classes. “Since we came into office in 2022, which coincided with the 40^th Anniversary of the first graduating class, we have grouped Members from 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012 as mentor groups for the 2022 graduating class.