PATIENCE JONATHAN AND THE ALMAJIRI PHENOMENON;

PATIENCE JONATHAN AND THE  ALMAJIRI PHENOMENON; TRUTH IS BITTER.

BY:

 MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

NTA ZARIA

mudassiray@gmail.com

Time is always moving forward, it flashes and elapses with incidences, the happenings today become memory of tomorrow and also a history in the future, typical example is PDP leadership in Nigeria which has became an object in the archive of Nigerian history. Since early 2014 Nigerians were so eager and became preoccupied with political actions, what was trending on the minds of the people across the country was the Election, the  conventional and social media had being feeding the general public with relevant and to some extent irrelevant political stories/ captions. Likewise public places like markets, offices, schools etc became so embossed with political issues particularly on 2015 elections. At that moment electioneering processes of campaigns and rallies by politicians became so popular. Various speeches were offered  some were vital, important and persuasive while others were meaningless  unguarded and controversial. Among the political utterances  that annoyed people much were the unguarded statements made by some allies of PDP presidential aspirant especially and particularly the one presented by the then first Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, describing the people of Northern Nigeria as very uncaring, who are only delighted of bearing multitude of children and carelessly throwing them into the streets purposely to beg for alms, this irritated the people of the region who saw it as a gross insult to their collective dignity, even myself I was so offended and became so uncomfortable with her rude statement considering the abusive words contain just to provoke and undermine the image of northerners particularly Hausa/fulani who are also bonafide citizens like all other tribes in Nigeria. This statement is one of the cardinal reason why they  (northerners) voted enmasse against her husband, the incumbent president and the PDP presidential candidate who lost march, 28 poll unpreparably.

Now that elections are over, it is worthwhile to take very careful  look at Mrs Jonathan’s statement and make an overview. My questions are; Is it true that the people in Northern Nigeria particularly the Hausas and the Fulanis bear too many children? How up and doing are they  in providing for the wellbeing of these children? Is it true that they throw these poor children in streets? If yes, for what reason(s)?

Let us be frank and obvious in answering the questions raised above, my answer will be right or wrong to the reader but i am optimistic that truth is bitter, because I took time and study carefully the reason why the old lady offered such statement in a disguise, and to be honest politics aside, hate or love it, Mrs Jonathan to every extend was very right  by telling the people of the North the  truth they all know, but which over time we refused to take actions. The only problem is that she said it at the wrong time, that is during the processes of democracy which denounce abuse of human right fundamentally. What just came to my mind was the attitude of bearing children and sending them faraway in search of education under tentative and worst condition of begging, porting, and washing plates in restaurants? Is this what she just consider? Quite rightly, I just also took a hurried look at our streets, markets, sport squares, motor parks, mosques, hostels that are filled with dirty, smelling, shoeless and tatterredly dressed children born and sent to urban areas by their parents to the custody of Mallam who can hardly cater for his basic needs not to talk of the kids all in the name of (Karatu). I also quickly remember one  Zauren almajirai called (camp) in my area where during the night children sleep jam-packed with contaminated breath and also lacking  basic necessities as toilets and bathrooms, and during day hours  parading and roaming the streets for begging and at the end spending little time with Mallam which to some extend end up learning nothing but a mere Arabic alphabets.

In anutshell, the poor Almajiri boy does not only beg to feed himself but also to pay his school fees populalarly known as 'Kudin Laraba' on weekly basis and the money will just go to Mallam for his personal needs. This is no doubt a typical case of child labour. Therefore, if that is the case Why should we wagging our angry tongues and pointing accusing fingers on Mrs. Jonathan since we know he really talk truth? I think the only solution to this menace is to make it punishable for any parent who traffic his child with no decent arrangement for his feeding, clothing and shelter. This could be possible through establishment of ultra modern Qur'anic schools manned by well trained and highly versatile teachers that will not rely on their students. It is pertinent for parents to note that the responsibilities on children are squarely rested on their shoulder.

Finally,  governments of northern states should also intervene collectively to arrest this popular attitudes. Our people should not consider Mrs. Jonathan's statement as an insult, rather let it be an alert for taking good measures as well as decisive actions toward reducing this phenomena.

MUDASSIR write from NTA Zaria, Kaduna Network Centre.