• After dinner I went straight to sleep (mistake number one) then at about 9.30pm I was woken up with koboko by one senior Charles – Eche Isaac

And so the journey begins for me in #Kuru from Mrs Babatunde’s office, she was the bursar then. She come give me GN House and when I was about to take my Ark of Noah (metal box) she changed her mind and come give me EK. To be sincere, I was afraid but the presence of a friend Abdulkarim Otaru Shrek Abdullah gave me strength. He was the only one by my side at that critical moment of my life. I came to kuru not fully prepared as I have no provision. Kareem showed me the way to EK house and took me there, Room 19 upstairs was my first place of abode.

Apart from Kareem and his brother, then one Olushola and Emmanuel Alamba who eventually became Head boy, I don’t know any other person.

After dinner I went straight to sleep (mistake number one) then at about 9.30pm I was woken up with koboko by one senior Charles. I will never forget the way I hit my head on the concrete slap of room 19. At another room 19 downstairs I saw rolls of lines I knew nothing about. With sleep in my eyes I went straight to the senior line behind which was number 2 mistake.

As I was called out for punishment amidst laughter from everybody, I came out and went straight for one of the senior and offered my hand for a shake (number 3 mistake all for one day o) The room catch fire 🔥 with thunderous laughter to the extent that the roll call had to be postponed that day, the seniors asked everyone to leave except me, well, to be sincere nothing was done to me, thanks to Kareem elder brother.

2 weeks later, the seniors cut our tails. When I returned to room 19 upstairs, my space was taken over but I met another angel, Emmanuel Pwasong who fought for me for the space as I could not understand or speak Hausa and all the conversations were done in hausa. Morning prayer and work was another story all together.

I was given a class opposite dining hall. In the class, the likes of Pwasong, Kwasu Yawa, Yakubu Chollom aka Bromosco were there. Gov Fidelis Tapgun gave us free books. After class, labour.
I met good and not too good people in kuru, thanks to all of them. Olushola and Dickson Nduka accepted me to their cabin.
Close to EK house was GN. GN was almost a contrast to EK. What they have their are soldiers or likely mercenaries. EK have police officers, always playing by the book. We have the jovial and lively people like Kwasu Yawa, Langs Bulus Gyang aka Blues, Kim were all there. Ngbede, Timchang, Omale, Ezekiel Ashom, Sunday Luka, Charles Chinedu Protus Ogbuefi Nnanyelugo Zumnan Mark Gimba etc cannot be forgotten. Some won many awards in sports and academic activities. EK house always come first.

We have excellent teachers. Mrs Gimba, Mr Akise, Pam, Mr Dongs of blessed memory, Mr Suleiman of blessed memory, Mr LIMBO (🔥 🔥 🔥), Mr Gupta and Gotip, all the teachers are wonderful. All the Indian teachers have phobia for cow so sometimes we play naughty and draw cow on the board, that marks the end of his lesson that day.

How can I forget my principal, Mr H B Selzing aka if you are caught, catch or rather catches. We have nickname for all the teachers.
Good friends we have, good friends we lost along the way. All of them played vital roles that shaped us. I can’t forget our school doctor that gave us injection on the head and even your finger nails if that is where the pain is. Lovely people.

One of the greatest kuru father and the oldest in the school then was Papa Lewis of blessed memory. A maths teacher, musician and a composer. We used to sneak to Riyom to see his grave he dug before his death. I don’t know if his wish was kept to the end. May the perpetual light of God shine upon him forever IJN Amen. Thank you sir.

For everything there is season. In 1994, our season came and we left kuru but kuru never leave us FOR IN DISTANCE PLACES FAR, TROUBLES BREAK TEMPTATION LURE BUT WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE THIS GUIDING STAR, TILL THEN WE REMEMBER THAT #KURU HAS HELPED US UPON OUR Way.

Mr Eche Isaac.
EK House
Set ’94.
Govt House Makurdi

#KuruAt80

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#WaniYaro: One of the Greatest Kuru father and the Oldest in the school Then was Papa Lewis of Blessed Memory – Eche Isaac