By Aderonke Ojo
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, says sports provide a veritable avenue for reuniting former secondary school students separated for more than 30 years.
Shuaibu  represented by Rear Adm. Gideon Kachim, stated this on Saturday at the second edition of the annual Inter-House Sports Competition organised by the Command Secondary School Kaduna Old Students Association (COMKADOSA), Abuja Chapter .
The competition was held at the Training Pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium,  Abuja .
“What better avenue would you have to bring back people who have passed out from secondary school for well over 30 years than an informal gathering that connects the body, mind and spirit through sports?” he asked.
Shuaibu said the competition provided an opportunity to revive old friendships, strengthen relationships and promote unity among members of the Command family.
He said the event brought together alumni from different graduating sets, many of whom had not seen one another for decades.
The Army chief recalled that the maiden edition in 2025 enabled him to reconnect with several former schoolmates and friends.
“ He described the second edition as better organised and expressed hope that the competition would continue to grow and strengthen the bond among former students.
“ I urged all the alumni to sustain the values of discipline, excellence and service acquired during their school days and support the development of Command Secondary Schools.
“ He explained that the schools were established as part of the Nigerian Army’s welfare system to provide education and other essential services for military personnel and their families,” he said.
According to him, the schools were established in line with the Army’s divisions, including Enugu, Kaduna, Jos and Ibadan.
Shuaibu reaffirmed his commitment to improving infrastructure and service delivery in the schools,noting that an intervention was already ongoing at Command Secondary School Makurdi.
He  described Command Secondary Schools as institutions where the core values of discipline, excellence and service were instilled in young Nigerians.
He said Command Secondary School Kaduna had produced distinguished Nigerians who excelled in the armed forces and other sectors, including former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal , Isiaka Amao.
The COAS described inter-house sports as more than a competition for trophies, saying it was a practical school of leadership that taught teamwork, resilience, fair play and endurance.
“ I urged competitors to compete fairly, respect one another and remember that while winning was important, character remained paramount,” he said.
Aaron Ogar , the Chairman of COMKADOSA, Abuja Chapter,said the competition was aimed at preserving the spirit of brotherhood among former students.
Ogar said students during their school days were united irrespective of their states of origin or religious backgrounds, adding that the association was determined to keep the spirit of brotherhood alive.
He called on the Nigerian military to identify promising athletes participating in the competition and explore opportunities to develop them for future military and national competitions.
“ I expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Army, COMKADOSA National Executive, Abuja Chapter, the Local Organising Committee, sponsors, sister schools, alumni and guests for their support,” he said .
Bunmi Malimin, publicity and finance officer and chief organiser of the event, said participation increased significantly, with alumni from the 1982 to 2025 sets taking part.
“ We have graduates from 1982 to 2025. You see them all here. You see the 2025 mingling with the 1982.
“ The Command Secondary School Kaduna would mark its 50th anniversary in 2027, adding that the association was considering taking the competition back to the school,” she said .
Another alumnus, Nnamdi Offor, a member of the 1986 set, described the event as “very nostalgic”, saying it reunited classmates and friends who had not seen one another for decades.
“People we have not seen for 20 or 30 years, I have seen them here today. So it’s a fantastic thing,” he said.
At the end of the competition, Flying Horse of Stallion House ( blue) emerged overall winner with 60 points, followed by Octopus and Rhino House ( red) with 50 points.
Tiger House ( yellow) placed third with 47 points, while Dragon House ( green) finished fourth with 41 points.
In  the football final , Tiger House defeated Flying Horse of Stallion House 1–0 in the final to emerge champions, while Octopus and Rhino House finished third place .
NAN reports that the events commenced on Sept . 11 and ended today with 12 different sports featured. (NAN)
STJ/JPE
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Edited by Joseph Edeh