Amazing! How A Class Of 24 Students Produced 2 Presidents,4 Governors& 2 Ministers

Government College Bida, Niger State was established in 1912 and has an enviable history of producing eminent Nigerians in various fields of endeavor.

But the 1957-1962 set of the school did the unimaginable . It produced 7 Generals and a Colonel. Two of the Generals later became Heads of State, while four became Governors and the other two became minsters.

Here is a group photograph of the set.


Photo Credit: Amanda Kirby Okoye

No 21 General Gado Nasko,

No 23 General Sani Sami

No 9 General Ibrahim Babangida

No 10 General Garba Duba

No 13 Colonel Sani Bello

No 16 General Abdulsalam Abubakar

No 3 General Mohammed Magoro

No 6 Late General Mamman Vatsa

General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalam Abubakar turn out to be Heads of State of The Federal Republic of Nigeria . While Major General Gado Nasko went on to become the Governor of Sokoto State , Lieutenant General Garba Duba became the Governor of Bauchi State as well as Administrator of Sokoto State and Colonel Sani Bello became the Governor of the Kano State .Brigadier Mohammed Sani Sami who is the present Emir of Zuru was the Governor of Bauchi State from January 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari .

Major General Mohammed Magoro became the Minister for Internal Affairs under Major General Muhammadu Buhari military regime while General Mamman Vatsa was an ex FCT Minister. He was later executed on 5 March 1986 by the government of his class mate, General Ibrahim Babangida following a military tribunal conviction for treason associated with an abortive coup.

Government College, Bida which was formerly known as Provincial Secondary School Bida has a long history of turning out eminent personalities. In the judiciary, the college has produced former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo and Justice Abdullahi Mustapha. In diplomatic circles, it produced late Ambassador James Tsado Kolo, Ambassador Buba Ahmed, Ambassador, Ambassador Yunusa Paiko and Ambassador Abdulraham Gara.

In politics, the college has people like Professor Jerry Gana, Senator Awaisu Kuta , Ibrahim Tanko and Isa Mohammed Waziri. In the academics, there are Professors Musa Abdullahi; Mohammed Dakota; A.I Kolo and M.T. A Suleiman In the royalty, it has produced the Emir of Suleja, Malam Auwal Ibrahim; Emir of Kontagora Alhaji Saidu Namaska; the Etsu Lapai, the Emir of Zuru.