MY CLASS REUNITES 20 YEARS AFTER

This article is dedicated to Class of 92- Performing Arts Department, University of Ilorin.

I’ve wanted to do this article since the reunion ended, but just couldn’t get down to it. Thank God I finally held myself down long enough to write this first in the series. 

I’ve been away for a while and haven’t been able to blog because of some crucial commitments that came up towards the end of last year.

My class reunion took place in Nigeria, in Ilorin, a north central State called Kwara.

20 years after, Class 92, Performing Arts Department, University of Ilorin, returned to our alma mater. We rekindled memories, fanned them to life, relived events, sang old songs, danced like those days and belly laughed a whole lot.

It was easy to be ourselves, no pretences. Why? Everybody knew everybody when we were all so silly and carefree. We just became students again for that weekend.

People don’t really change much, do they?

Of course we have all grown, physically that is. I spotted the grey hairs, mine was quite pronounced. Some of the guys have rounded bellies and cheeks. We ladies, of course, had fleshed out. I heard that, at one of the pre-reunion meetings in Lagos, they actually used a tape to measure the huge hips and compare how big!

Wow!

That was how much fun my class could be.Not much had changed in that area - we teased ourselves silly, shouted at the top of our voices, giddy with the excitement of seeing one another.

Saturday afternoon with the students humbled me. We all had stories to tell. Some of them brought me close to tears. 20 years was not 20 months; many waters had passed under the bridge. We suffered, toiled, and struggled, but none of us gave up. That was why each of us had a story to tell, to let those aspiring students know that when life hands you a lemon, you don’t throw it away and complain; you make something juicy and sweet out of it.

There is always a story behind every glory.

I was also humbled at the amount of money contributed. When we started planning January 2012, it looked like we could never raise a Hundred thousand naira, talk more of a million.

“Don’t ever give up on an idea or dream because it seems impossible.”

Class 92 reiterated this aged truth, with our financial contributions. It surpassed everyone’s expectations. And we were able to give a little back to that model department that gave so much to us.

Apart from the academic training, what did the department give?

Manned by extraordinary, experienced, loving lecturers, we learnt responsibility, diligence and discipline, team work, among other vital values.

Most importantly, the department gave me friendship through my class - the unique Class 92. Deep friendship made from wounds and scars. We had our scuffles, bitter rivalry, and fights. We had all the issues that classmates have when they are in school growing up… and 20years after, we have a friendship that has passed through fire… a friendship that is golden, a friendship that defies distance, a friendship made in heaven.

I can’t stop being grateful to God who kept us alive for twenty long years.

Such a rare privilege could only be given by God.

Grace is a Writer, Editor and Proofreader. She is married to a pastor and together they teach God’s word. She also teaches Writing Classes and motivates young writers to write and publish their works. Her passion is to empower people through knowledge sharing. She is the initiator of the Christian WAR Forum in Nigeria, a fellowship of Christian writers and readers.

E-mail - penparables@gmail.com

©2012 PenParables

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