…AND THE ALMAJIRI STILL ROAMS THE STREETS

Readers, please allow me to be frustrated. Because I am. Very much. The reason for my frustration is that over the past year alone I have attended and participated in more than 20 conferences, symposia, workshops, meetings, panels, WhatsApp Groups – you name them – on the intractable problem of Almajiri. So, in consequence, allow […]

Readers, please allow me to be frustrated. Because I am. Very much. The reason for my frustration is that over the past year alone I have attended and participated in more than 20 conferences, symposia, workshops, meetings, panels, WhatsApp Groups – you name them – on the intractable problem of Almajiri. So, in consequence, allow me to ‘give up’ (even though it’s not in my character to so do, as a pragmatist realist). So, ALL and EVERYONE should stop inviting me to an Almajiri event. Na gaji!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Only recently, our ‘Say-And-Unsay’ Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through its own National Security Adviser (NSA) General Monguno, said ‘something’ about the nexus between the so-called Almajiri Phenomenon and National Security, and that the FGN was going to do ‘something’ about it. Quickly, the ‘Say-And-Unsay’ FGN reversed itself, and literally disowned the NSA, and indicated he is on his own. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Indeed, the FGN, through its Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) under our senior brother Dr. Hamid Bobboyi has a ‘unique’ scheme called Out-Of-School-Children, of which the Almajiri is a prominent part. Plans are being designed and designs are being planned to take the so-called out-of-school-children back to school. And you wonder – are those in-school-children of the poor man’s primary school really in school at all? No they are not, if the truth is told. Boko schools where the Almajiri will be pressed into are less than half-baked because the teachers are not baked at all. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Over in the states (and here, the Northern States are meant), a certain ‘edict’ apportioned to the Katsina State Government recently made the rounds in cyberspace. Our gullible applauded it – even though they have no idea when it was crafted; why it was called an ‘edict’ and not a ‘law; whether there was a public hearing. But reading it made people have that temporary high only Nigerians know of. Yet no one, to my knowledge has really come out to ‘own’ that edict and when it will start ‘working’. You see?

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Over here in Kano, there is, for the umpteenth time, another committee to study and provide solution towards the reform of the Almajiri System. Headed by another senior academic colleague Dr. Muhammad Tahir Adam, better known as ‘Baba Impossible’, the committee is doing the impossible – reinventing the wheel which has already existed from the time of Ancient Egypt. And we all agreed on the solution, yet we are still beating about the bush and, in the absence of bush? And if Kano and Katsina there is no bush, we are beating around the Sahel. And the committee  will continue ‘chopping’ sitting allowance. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

The Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) has, over the past several decades, ‘mainstreamed’ (a popular terminology used by the particularly savvy) the matter of the Almajiri and its solution into their regular Agendas. They will discuss, empanel committees, hear reports, appoint yet more committees, hear reports, yet again appoint…ad infinitum! So, why don’t they just ‘finitum’ and give up? You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

The Sultan of Sokoto, spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims, empanelled yet another Special Committee to ‘tackle’…you guessed it…Almajiri. This page covered the proceedings of that committee for several weeks, receiving input from readers and other stakeholders. Recently also, the Sultan and other Muslim and Northern Traditional Rulers sat in their resplendent majesties and discussed this problem of out-of-school-children. Kaduna is always agog when they meet and, recently also, Abuja has taken their fancy. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

A thousand and one NGOs, CSOs and other ‘Os’ are busy discussing Almajiri. A protest there, a fund-raising here, a conference thither. Of particular intensity are the efforts of Dr. Usman Bugaje’s Arewa Research and Development Project (ADRP) which has all the research but no buyers; the Sustainable Educational Foundation for African Development (SEFAD) led by Dr. Ibrahim Sulaiman; the Arewa this and Arewa that. Each and every of these outfits want to see the end of this blight on us – yet what they only have are good intentions. The political will lies elsewhere with people who have no will. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Not to be left out, the Almajiri issue has become such an all-comers affair that even our Christian compatriots are trying to help us solve a 100% Muslim problem. The Kukah Centre has come in with a big bang. It is intervening with millions of Euros to help us sweep the matter under the carpet, once and for all. There is talk of skills acquisition and other social and economic goods; but no child will be proselytised. We repeat – no Muslim child will ever be proselytised. Those young Borno IDP boys in an Edo convent where they find it easier to hymn Halleluyah! than to intone La ilaha illalLah is just by the way. And the Kukah Centre is said to be royally supported. You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

All of us – Government, Intellectuals, Traditional Rules, CSOs, NGOs – are united in believing in this simple solution – EACH BOY TO HIS FATHER! But that has proven to be rocket science in a part of the world known as Northern Nigeria. No other plan can succeed until all and every Almajiri is back in front of his father or guardian or whoever it is that put him into this quandary. But rocket science will continue to elude a people whose 10 million boys roam the streets. You see?

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

So let’s repeat what this Column has repeated, also ad infinitum: FIRST, a Proclamation by ALL Northern Governors that Almajiri System will be genuinely reformed FROM THE ROOT. And SECOND, exchange of prisoners (oh, exchange of Almajiris) – or repatriation of ALL Almajiris to their home villages, local governments and states; meaning Katsina Almajiris in Kano go to Katsina and send us ours. EACH BOY BACK TO HIS FATHER! Then any plan by FGN and the NSA and UBEC and the Traditional Rulers and the CSOs and the NGOs and even Kukah Centre can then begin. If not, not! You see!

Meanwhile, the Almajiri boy-child still roams the streets…

Let us all converge on the next Northern Governors’ Forum Meeting and demand a Proclamation. Chairman Governor Simon Lalong, we are coming! If not, I am frustrated! You see!