By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Warri came alive on Sunday 11 January 2026 as old students of Dom Domingos College (DDC), Warri, reunited in colour, rhythm and nostalgia at a grand end-of-year and New Year celebration organised by the Dom Domingos College Old Students Association (DOCOSA).
Held at Bliss Event Centre, the event blended elegance with deep emotion as different graduating sets filed out in a carnival-like parade, dancing onto the stage amid cheers, music and flashes of remembrance—turning the gathering into both a celebration and a journey through time.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Mr. Moses Okpako Udu, described the occasion as historic, noting that it marked 41 years since the pioneer students of the college graduated on Friday, 17 June 1985.
Udu, who was the school’s pioneer senior prefect, recounted how the association was born out of a direct charge from the late pioneer principal of the school, Late Dame Mrs. Clementina O. Bakpa.
“The dream of DOCOSA started on our send-forth day in 1985 when our indefatigable principal, Late Dame Mrs. Clementine Bakpa, told me, ‘Moses Udu, make sure that in ten years from today, the Old Students Association is formed,’” he recalled. “We took that charge seriously.”
True to that mandate, Udu said the association was eventually formed at his residence and formally inaugurated in 2001 by the same principal. He served as the association’s first president before emerging as Chairman of the BoT in 2002.
Reflecting on the journey, he credited discipline, commitment and strong values instilled by teachers of the old era for the resilience of DOCOSA, describing the association as “stronger today than ever.”
He commended the current president, Mr. Kaiser, Toritseju Godwin, for sustaining the founding vision and thanked DOCOSA members in the diaspora for their consistent financial support. He also praised the executive committee and members for their loyalty to the growth of the association.
Earlier, President Kaiser, Toritseju Godwin. traced the history of both the school and the association, describing DOCOSA as a product of foresight, unity and persistence. He said the association began modestly at Udu’s residence on Mudiaga Odje Street, Okumagba Layout, Warri, with about 12 to 15 members.
“From 1999 when Moses Udu started the association, we have had eight past presidents. I am the ninth,” he said.
Kaiser outlined ambitious plans aimed at uniting all chapters and reconciling past divisions among different sets. He disclosed that DOCOSA now has branches in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt, all slated for inauguration before July.
Among ongoing and proposed interventions, he listed financial support to indigent members, road repairs within the school, renovation of dilapidated structures and plans to introduce scholarships for outstanding students from JSS 1 to JSS 3.
He encouraged recent graduates to join the association, stressing that DOCOSA is inclusive. “There is no discrimination between the older and younger sets. Once you register, you are a full member,” he said.
He also highlighted projects already executed by DOCOSAITES, including the renovation of toilet and borehole facilities, construction of an ICT hall by Bank PHB in collaboration with an old student, and the donation of a modern library by the 1987 set.
Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Oghenekevwe Akporerhe, expressed gratitude to the leadership for entrusting him with organising the event, describing it as a collective success. He urged younger alumni to actively participate and not perceive the association as an “elders’ forum.”
The event’s highlights included a vibrant parade by each graduating set, poetic recitations and playful rhymes that evoked memories of school days, laughter and shared experiences. A solemn moment followed as members paid glowing tributes to departed colleagues, observing a minute of silence in their honour.
Dom Domingos College, Warri—named after a Prince of Iwere (Warri)—was founded as Hussey College II and inaugurated on 5 September 1980 by the Governor of the defunct Bendel State, Prof. Ambrose Folorunsho Ali, under the free education scheme.
As the music faded and embraces lingered, one message rang clear from the gathering: DOCOSA is not just an association, but a living legacy—binding generations through shared history, service and enduring pride in their alma mater.
