Some of the OBs cutting the cake. They met on the anniversary of their school, September 14
It was on September 14, 1964 when 81 boys aged between 12 and 14 walked distances to one of a few schools that were available, the Cyahinda Minor Seminary located in Nyaruguru district, formerly Butare prefecture, southern province of Rwanda.
They were starting the post primary, or preparatory year which intended to make them “smart people who know to eat with a fork and knife, to wear shoes and to do shower properly” before embracing the core business of an education which principally aimed to raise parish priests for the catholic church.
After this transit year, the students would proceed either in Save or in Kansi, two old schools that had the following six years of the Minor Seminary.
The old boys (OBs) have never met before as alumni, some had not even crossed each other until this week. Despite more or less third quarters of them having died and thus their number having been reduced to 28, they still decided to meet for light moments, as they also plan charity and social actions in their retreat.
Under the roof of Hotel Greenwich in Remera-Kigali, owned by one of them, and joined by some relatives including spouses, they had good time to share great memories between them and some of their teachers who are still around.
Dr. Alexis Muderevu
Dr. Alexis Muderevu, the host from Greenwich Hotel first requested his classmates to stand for a minute of silence to pay tribute to their deceased colleagues.
He then shared his journey, how he finished the Minor Seminary and then changed his mind on becoming a priest. He followed a medical education in Italy and coming back, he gave his best to treat Rwandan sons and daughters.
“It is incredible to meet people you were together 60 years earlier. We were just little boys when we met in Cyahinda, but today, we all grew grey hair. We are very grateful,” he said.
Dr. Jean Baptiste Gasasira, an established pediatrician from Kigali who runs ‘Le Bon Samaritain’ clinic, is also an OB from Cyahinda. He told his colleagues, that even though he did not follow the path of priesthood to save people spiritually, he was able to follow a path that is allowing to save lives of children and their mothers, as a medical doctor.
He said he was among pioneers of private clinics in Rwanda in 1989. He also invited them to his Hotel-Rushel Kivu Resort located in Boneza sector of Rutsiro district, on the shore of lake Kivu.
Dr. Jean Baptiste Gasasira speaking
“It is a place appropriate to my age mates because it is a quite venue which offers an opportunity for people to sit and share history around fire table,” Gasasira said.
The OBs paid tribute to one Narcisse Rutegamihigo who was their cook at the Cyahinda Seminary. Rutegamihigo who is also retired was in attendance, and he was eulogized for being a man who saved lives of the boys and knew what each of them needed, to an extent that he was able to handle particularities.
Evode Kalima who was a member of Rwanda parliament until 2013, also the Cyahinda OB recalls how one day he fell sick, and Rutegamihigo took him to the kitchen and gave him milk.
Narcisse Rutegamihigo, the cook
“He thanked me because I continued to perform well, even being sick. I cannot thank him enough,” said Hon. Kalima, concurring with every former classmate that they really owe Rutegamihigo a lot. With this, they handed him an envelop and walked with it to his home in Southern province.
Angelo Nshimyiryayo
Kalima also reminded his colleagues another important person in their lives Angelo Nshimyiryayo who taught them French and Mathematics.
“In the past, teachers were really bright. Imagine teaching French and Mathematics at the same time. He inspired us to work hard in life. We met with teacher Angelo in different occasions and he would call me ‘my son’ and I was proud of that,” he said.
Jean Ndolimana, one of the OBs remecalls that in their time, eating with a fork was luxury, and when they studied in Cyahinda it caused them nightmare.
“They were teaching us how to be ‘civilised’. They would bring meat in class to show us how one has to cut it, while on table. We used to walk bare-legs and even at the Seminary, a few of us could afford shoes,” he said.
At the place of Cyahinda seminary there is a teacher training school.
The seminary stayed there until 1980 when it moves to Karubanda in Huye town, but Cyahinda is no longer a remote village, but a beautiful venue with a tarmac road, clean water and electricity.
Father Jean Baptiste Nzagahimana, the director of the school invited the OBs to come and inspire his students and they made a promise to do so.
They also committed to keep in touch and to find social activities that would improve the well-being of Cyahinda students.
