Goron Dutse

The Customs Training College, Goron Dutse Kano, is the pioneer Customs training institution of Nigeria with history spanning over fifty years. It is a serene environment conducive for rugged paramilitary regimentation and excellent academic and weapon instruction. Recruits often fear to be listed there for their basic training. ‘Whoever goes through Goron Dutse and passes’, they would aver, ‘could as well have served in Waterloo and excel’. Goron Dutse is however an environment misunderstood.

How ‘expansively desolate’ it appears,

‘A malignant nemesis’

‘No wonder’ says the pessimist,

‘It is sandwiched between the PRISON and the CEMETERY’

Believe not these deceitful impressions,

Go deep, explore the expressions,

Underlying this great institution,

They are of sublime and noble constitution,

‘Tedious’ has been the path to knowledge,

Moulder of recruits of diversed backgrounds,

GORON DUTSE is the incubator,

Hatcher of golden eggs for the Service.

A citadel at the heart of the city,

Of Kano, the centre of Commerce,

Where the DALA is placed,

Strategically equal with GORON DUTSE.

Did I hear ‘Left! Right!! and Centre!!!’?

On the field for the Drills and Postures?

Or, in the class, ‘Detention and Seizures’?

THREE HEARTY CHEERS for the School and its Masters.

Little do we collectively think over,

That we, most certainly, shall ponder,

Reminisce hence, over and over,

On the college, its recruits and wonder.

We may, one day, speak nostalgically,

Recapitulate its pure memory,

And announce it honest admiration,

That the best that happened to us was GORON DUTSE.