To write about one’s home, flawless, near-perfect words are somewhat required. It has become more and more difficult to come up with original superlatives or tonal pattern for such a great environment like Kuranga. However, for thousands of people out there including myself, only home will suffice.
It is a vast fortune for everyone that attended Government College, Azare (KURANGA). The structure which comprises five hostels (Waziri, Maigana, Galadima, Zakar Dambam and Fate), laboratories, Masjid and Chapel, football field, school garden/farm, library, computer room, dining and assembly hall and so on, make the environment very pleasant. The activities and the daily routines such as classes, preps, sports, MSS & Fellowship programmes in the weekend, debate and quiz competitions, Friday and Sunday outings, Saturday inspection, meals, inter house competitions added more spice to the conducive atmosphere. The structure in place and the activities gave us every reason to be happy.
To top these, its amazing teachers made the school even more definitive. They are not only teachers but parents/mentors. KURANGA rich history made it famous and admiring among Bauchi indigenes and even beyond.
It would be an unforgivable oversight not to ignore the enormous impact Kuranga has had on the careers of many professors, doctors, the current Minister of Education Adamu Adamu, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, former Tetfund Chairman Dr Babayo Musa, former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government Nadada Umar, current CJN Justice Tanko, His Royal Highness the Emir of Jama’are and many more dignitaries whose names are written in gold for what they have achieved not only for our dear state Bauchi but also our country Nigeria and Africa at large.
Much of what we do or achieve may not be unconnected with the culture of the school. The teachers are of timber, calibre and caterpillar while the students are just phenomenal. There is no field/discipline you will aspire to pursue without having that one teacher that will inspire you. A joy to behold for schooling in a place like GC Azare has been the opportunity to learn from best teachers, intermingle with a small but diverse group of colleagues. Muslims, Christians, Hausa, Fulani, Seyawa, Jarawa etcetera. These mixture makes the environment even more merry. The mentoring offered to us carries with it a burden. A fruit bearing tree burden!
This burden tree has produced many fruits that have not only made records but also broken it. Over a hundred first-class graduates! A lot of individual accolades too much to recount here, lest I exhaust your pages, Lol! Thanks to the persistent consistency of the culture.
The pathway through which Kuranga instilled knowledge and discipline is very unique. The teachers have their own ways of doing things. The have a multidisciplinary, multisectoral ways of dealing with our problems.
Throwing myself back to those beautiful days reminds me of so many things. What is particularly striking me about the school is the seed of unity and brotherhood planted in the hearts of its students. It is truly astonishing. Irrespective of the era/period we all remained Kurangites.
The slangs we use to refer to some places is extravagant. Such as the “Kwalama station”, “Filin taliya”, etcetera.The rich history of Barewa College,Zaria or Rumfa College Kano presents an interesting analogy to that of Kuranga.
The visionary transformation of the school while retaining the cardinal principles by former Bauchi state governor Ahmad Adamu Mu’azu by transiting them to Special Schools headed by the current commissioner for education Dr Aliyu Tilde has been remarkable. The recorded success made Kano state jealous about it. Despite their “Koda me kazo an fika” complimentary, we put them to the sword on this one. They ramp up their interests in the Board System by establishing a carbon copy of the project in Dawakin Kudu and Dawakin Tofa.
Although the good results obtained in Dawakin Kudu and Dawakin Tofa may fits ours like a glove, never does the history! The point will stand that there is only one government college, which is Government College Azare aka KURANGA.
In case you come across any of her(Kuranga) students, ask for a favour. Not of money though, but to recite for you the school tradition. Listening through the soothing and appealing verses starting from “Truth at all costs” to the ultimate verse that reads “Until the top of our ladder we reach” and its complimentary part “And the height of our ambition attained” you cannot help but feel honoured.
Mubarak Shu’aib,
Hardawa, Misau LGA,
Bauchi state.
