It was an emotional event as tears broke out among the members of College of Arts and Remedial Studies, CAS, Kano, IJMB Class 2002 during the disbursement of cash support to orphans of their deceased colleagues on Thursday.
The forum decided to support the families of their 14 deceased members in this holy month of Ramadan to put a smile on their faces during Sallah festivities.
However, during the disbursement session, as the orphans were called upon to collect their shares, the situation went emotional as nearly everybody present, including the orphans and widows bursted into tears at the historic event.
It was observed that almost everybody among the organizers, the officials of CAS, where the event took place, was sobbing as the Provost of the institution, Dr Sunusi Yakubu Ahmad, was giving the money to the beneficiaries.
It involved the intervention of the Provost, who comforted and consoled the gathering, after the session was temporarily halted, before the programme continued.
Giving a breakdown of the maiden donation, Isma’il Galadima, Chairman of the disbursement committee, said the forum donated the sum of N1,631,000 through crowdfunding.
According to him, 31 children of the 14 deceased colleagues were given N50,000 each.
He explained that 16 children of 7 deceased members, residing outside Kano had received their money via transfer.
He added that 15 children of 7 deceased members living In Kano were the ones who received their shares at CAS Kano on Thursday.
In his welcome remarks earlier, the President of the association, Dr Muhammad Shamsuddin Sa’id the forum decided to organize the support program after considering the fact that there is need to support the families of the deceased members.
“This program could be late because we have this in mind for long but the delay was caused by formalization of the association.
“We worked assiduously to make sure this association is registered as we are on the verge of getting CAC certificate.
“That is why we decided to use the opportunity to contribute money among ourselves to support these orphans,” he said.
He said the support is a tip of the iceberg, assuring that; “next time, we will conduct investigation on the needs of the orphans. We are giving them this to put a smile on their faces during this Sallah festivities.”
He thanked the provost for his support to the forum.
In his inspiring remarks, the Provost, Dr Ahmad described the support scheme as one of his biggest achievements in his tenure as Provost.
According to him, the was astonished to the initiative, which according him, would help in securing a good future of the orphans.
” I wanted to cry but because of leadership, i summoned courage not to weep, because if i cry, the meeting would have collapsed.
“This is a kind gesture is worth emulating. It tells you that death is real and shall come to everybody,” he said.
While comforting the widows and the orphans, the provost assured them that they would smile in their future.
He urged the widows to take a good care of the orphans in order to become productive in the society.
He also promised to support the at the CAS level, and vowed to call on the other Class chapters to emulate the forum.
(PEOPLE’S PEN24)