Foot Soldiers: The saddening truth about the Almajiris in Nigeria

– The Educational system for the almajiris does not have any effect

– Almajiri is Islamic and many will rather this than western education

– These kids are abused and exposed to dangers

– It is a Northern Nigerian issue which seem not to be going anywhere soon

When Jameel left Kebbi state to the busy town of Kano, his plan was to become a Mallam. He had learnt the Quran from age eight and at age 17, he left his state.

Spent days on the road because the lorry he followed had to wait at each town, which took days to his final destination – Kano.

He arrived Kano after 10 days of journey, through when he neither bath nor brush his teeth. The January heat and dust-filled atmosphere welcomed him, as different people were seen going about their businesses. No one seemed to notice his presence.

“I reach Kano from my state and was looking for a familiar face, but couldn’t see any, and no one is even ready to smile at me. I was confused, but quickly entered the mosque for the Ailah prayer,” Jameel told NAIJ.com.

“Honestly I cannot remember the time that I left my house to join the Quran school, I was really young, but Kano really helped me, I slept in the mosque for years, I was running errands in the market before I started to sell fruits, I will not go back to Kebbi, I have been living here for 15 years now, my family live here in Kano.” he said.

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Almajiri

Almajiri is a word borrowed from the Arabic language, originally called Al-muhajirun, commonly used for someone who leaves his home in search of knowledge in Islamic religion. These children leave their parents at an early age to learn the Quran at the abode of respected Mallams.

Unfortunately, many of the children are abused by their teachers and or Mallams, forced to get involved in dirty jobs and have been seen carrying plates all over the place in search of food because some were abandoned by their parents at the mercies of the trusted Mallams.

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“I am a Muslim, all my children including the girls learn the Quran, it is a must. The boys are allowed to go out and learn, I have seven boys, three are grown and two are residing with Mallam in Katsina-Ala learning the Quran, and doing well Insha Allah”

“I dont give them money, and will not send them money, I don’t even have. They can fend for themselves,” a parent who chose to remain anonymous said to NAIJ.com.

As a matter of fact, these Almajiris are children born from poor families where a shoemaker who makes N200 a day has four wives and 20 children, making it hard for such person to either feed or maintain his family.

Most of the time, they send their male children out to seek wisdom and also to fend for themselves when they clock seven 0r eight years old. However, an estimate of at least eight million Almajiris live in Nigeria.

Speaking from Sokoto state, Alhaji Shehu Abdullai said there is nothing wrong in a child learning Quran and leaving him to go out there and gain wisdom:

“This is Islam and our religion, it is compulsory for every child to learn the Quran, there is nothing wrong in acquiring some knowledge.

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In 2013, a former senate president, Senator David Mark calls for the ban of the Almajiri educational system.

A child psychologist, Ademola Oye told NAIJ.com: “A child is like a blank book, they only know what you pen in there, these ones are vulnerable to commit crimes and most especially exposed to diseases, they need help, we should get them off the streets.

Northern elites

It is no doubt there are loads of wealthy men and women from the Northern part of Nigeria who are politically astute, grounded and respected men in the Nation.

You can barely see any rich man’s child join the Almajiris, as they will rather attend a highbrow school to learn the Quran.

Many of the Almajiris complained of lack help: “They barely help us, all we get is food stuffs  and old clothes from them on fridays and they will drive away in their big big cars. How will I survive on N120 a week”? Aminu asked NAIJ.com correspondent when he was questioned.

Son of a notable Nigerian, Auwalu Mohammed who spoke to NAIJ.com said he learn his Quran but he is not an Almajiri, after all he schooled in England and he works in a Government parastatal in Abuja:

“Please cut me some slack, I am not an Almajiri okay? I read chemical engineering in England and I have a good job, so because I learn Quran and I am a Muslim qualifies me as Almajiri? he snapped.

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido; Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu are some of the notable Nigerians who passed through the Al-muhajirun educational system and also western education.

These men are doing well in their respective careers.

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The child rights act

In 2001, the African Union charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child (AUCRWC) confirmed Nigeria as a member. Child rights act came to force precisely in July 31, 2003 which incorporates all the rights and responsibilities of children and consolidates them into a single legislation.

The Act further guaranteed the protection of children against sales, hire or use for hawking, begging for alms, prostitution, and/or use in other criminal activities

This law was passed in Nigeria but many Nigerian states refused to abide by the law of the land, blaming the prevalence of poverty in the Nation.

Suleiman Tanko in his own Narration said the Mallam use to beat them mercilessly and make them go hungry:

“Mallam will not give us food, we would be asked to wake up early in the morning to beg and from there we go back and give the money to the mallam and if you didnt make much, you will be whipped, it was a sad experience for me.

Culture vs Religious beliefs

In this regard, culture and religious beliefs are clashing together which sometimes makes it hard to really understand why the almajiris had to go through so much hardship.

“Go to Saudi, UAE, Pakistan and many other countries in the middle east, they learn the Quran and also go to school to get educated and not necessarily make their students beg for money or food,” CEO of the Almajiri Empowerment Foundation, Muazu Magaji told NAIJ.com.

Islamic education is a tradition where children goes to school called kolo – Primary school; then move to the Titibir – Mid range level; and Gardi – Senior school and if you pass out with an A grade also known as Alaramma you will be qualified to become a Mallam, this takes about 25 years. Meanwhile you don’t get a certificate for this.

A sad tale

There have been situation where some mothers cannot locate their children, some have been kidnapped, some were maimed.

There are reports that some were used for ritual purposes.

Sexual abuse is one of the gory tales of these Almajiri children, there are reports of drug abuse by those who went astray. Frustration led them to sniff gums, smoke gutter, and hard substances.

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Schools

The former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan considered the almajiris during his tenure in the office which saw him commission schools for them to go and learn for free.

Although it was a plausible idea, there was no plan for sustenance and many questions were left unanswered, for instance the provision of school uniforms, bags, books and other school necessities.

On November 2, 2015, he constituted a 64 newly completed and furnished Almajiri Model Schools which was instituted into the nation’s education system and built on behalf of the administration by UBEC.

Reactions

CEO of One game, a non -governmental organization that advocate for education rights for Nigerian children, Phillip Obaji told NAIJ.com: “I must commend Goodluck Jonathan for what he did, he did a lot to remodel their education, I believe the government will continue where he stopped, this is important we need to do something about them.

“There is no excuse for any child not to be in school but everyone has to learn, even amongst the Alamjiris they believe a child must be in school, a kind of education. Government should inculcate Arabic education into the educational system in places where we cannot revamp the education, he added.

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A way out

Advising on the way out for this, Phillip Obaji said  the Norths should come together:

“The entire spectrum of the north should come together and everyone to come. Its not always easy to allow the children, we need government Imams, allowing the children to attend formal schools where they teach Arabic. Its not going to be easy but it is doable.

“Northern Governors forum, elders, Arewa caucus, National assembly, parents need to come together and proffer a solution and reorganize the Almajri educational system,” Muazu Magaji said.

“In other line, so grants can be sought to fund Islamic schools instead of exploiting them, teach them knowledge skills at the sametime,” he added.

In 2008 a bill for the enactment of the National Commission for the Eradication of Child Destitution in Nigeria also known as the Almajiri Bill was sponsored by Umaru Argungu and 31 others was discussed to punish any proprietor of an unregistered tsangaya school with two years jail term. This bills were not passed.

UBEC

The Universal Basic Education programme was launched and executed by the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to eradicate illiteracy, ignorance and poverty as well as stimulate and accelerate national development political conscious and national integration.

According to reports, about N177.6 billion total grants were provided to the 36 states of the federation – FCT inclusive. A total amount of N4.8 million goes to each of the state.

“I dont have anywhere to go apart from my school, I dont even know how to go back home, but it is enjoyable learning and trying to get knowledge, with time my parents will come and look for me,” Awalu told NAIJ.com in Hausa.

This report was researched and written by Aderonke Bello, an Associate Editor and Head of the sports desk at naij.com.

Her twitter handle is @Aderonkew

The post Foot Soldiers: The saddening truth about the Almajiris in Nigeria appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.