There is a trend I noticed since I knew myself: Majority of the beggars we have in Nigeria are from the Northern part of the country (no offense intended). You see them by the roadside, in the market places, on the streets, in the bus parks and even at the train stations (at least the few we have in the country).

I often wondered why this is so. The annoying part of this is the fact that some of them are healthy, even though they have some body parts missing.

The ones that are crippled are mostly those that stay by the roadside begging for alms, while the blind ones are usually led by their children or others close to them begging from street to street.

I personally don't see their disability as a yardstick to degrade themselves to such a despicable level, after all there are so many disabled ones in the country who have done quite well for themselves even more than 'able' people. If you watched the paralympics, you would understand this.

Most of them are so proud about the fact that they are beggars that they have taken it as a lifelong gig. Most of them even get married as beggars and have introduced their wives and children to the 'trade'.

It is no longer a shocking scene for me when I see kids running around in traffic gridlocks knocking on cars and begging for alms while their parents sit by the roadside watching and pointing to them which cars to knock on, like a kinda training process.

I always had the impression that the trend was perhaps minimal in the North. But lo and behold, when I served there, I realized that there were even two more categories of beggars in addition to the ones mentioned above. My friends and I called them 'Junior Almajiri's' and 'Senior Almajiri's'.

The Junior Almajiri's are the kids (usually young boys between ages 5 and 15) who go around begging for food, money, clothes or whatever you could offer them. I was shocked one day when I threw away a pot of soured spaghetti and before I knew what was happening, these Junior Almajiri's had already 'attacked' the food, eating it directly from the waste bin. I always wondered if they've never heard of food poisoning or if such food had a negative impact on their health. My friend pitied these kids so much that whenever we had food we wouldn't eat anymore, she began warming it before dishing it into disposables for them, at least it prevented them from eating it directly from the waste bin.

The Senior Almajiri's are in another class of their own. You see them every morning sitting in front of the houses of the 'Mai Kudi's' (rich men) in the society. These ones don't beg per se, they collect or receive. It's their right! Or at least they act like it is. That would be the only reason why they are usually found at those houses around 8am to 10 or 11am everyday.

I was told that they were usually given money everyday, that was why they were always there. In a bid to satisfy my curiosity, I went there one morning to see things for myself, and when the 'money-sharing' period came, I saw a man (obviously the Alhaji's aide) with bundles of cash, going line by line and doling it out to these people. I was like, 'Wow, this is for real!' But I looked closely and saw the amount given to each person, and disappointment was registered on my face. Guess how much was given to each of them? N20. No, NOT Two Thousand Naira, TWENTY NAIRA!

I was shocked!

So many questions ran through my mind. Is it because of 20naira these men left their homes, sometimes in the early morning cold, and sat there, sometimes for hours? What effect would 20naira have on such a man, ignoring the fact that he might have a wife or wives and children, which is most likely the case? How would 20naira help in training or providing for the numerous children he 'produced' from his numerous wives? Why would these men even give birth to children since they know they wouldn't be able to take care of them?

In my own opinion (which I'm sure I'm entitled to), I would say this trend has given birth to terrorism, especially in this country.

I talked to some elites in the North, and I was told that the terrorism we see in the country today is as a result of lack of education. I totally agree with that summation.

It is only stark illiterates that would condone or even carry out the wanton killing of innocent people including women and children as we see in the country today. Why? For no just cause!

Every radical movement I've seen or read about have had a just cause. But this is the most preposterous movement/cause I've ever seen. And to think that these bizarre acts are perpetrated against their own people? It is so annoying!

I shake my head in disgust and ask: Is there a solution to this menace in this country? What could be done so that these Junior Almajiri's would have better opportunities to prevent them from being radicalized by these terrorists or tow the line of their Senior counterparts?

I sincerely hope the perpetrators of these dastardly acts 'repent' and change with the changing tide in the country.

Lest I forget, I read about a solution sometime ago. If you've not already read the novel 'Inferno' by Dan Brown, trying doing so. As ludicrous as it may sound, it might work well in this situation.

I'm off to boil my eggs...

Dioxidane

cc: Lalasticlala, Ishilove

..

Dioxidane:
So I saw a thread yesterday about funny examination experiences and it triggered some fond memories of my time in school.

This actually happened in my second year in the University. Examinations were at hand so all students prepared hard.

One of our lecturers had previously advised us to form study groups, so my friends (in the department) and I decided to form one.

'Awoko' (night reading) began in earnest. People always found the three of us reading, and they began to make sarcastic statements like, 'If una no get first class, make una ask God why.'

While reading together, we discovered our strengths and weaknesses in each of the courses we were to take. The peculiar ones were MTH 202 and CHM 203. I was good (at least fairly good) at MTH 202, but I didn't fully understand CHM 203. It had to do with Organic Chemistry which I was very scared of then. On the other hand, both of them understood CHM 203, but were very poor when it came to MTH 202.

They tried teaching me, but I couldn't just grasp it at that point. They couldn't understand MTH 202 either. To make matter worse, exams were at hand. No time! So we decided to seat together during each of the courses in the formation AB-O-AB for MTH 202 and O-AB-O for CHM 203.

If you remember your high school Biology, you'll understand this. I was to donate 'blood' to them during MTH 202, while they were to donate to me during CHM 203. It seemed to be a watertight arrangement (at the time). I prepared to solve all the questions so that we would all have options to choose from.

Exams began and MTH 202 and CHM 203 were slated for the same day and they were to be held by 12pm and 4pm respectively.

During the MTH 202 exam, the formation AB-O-AB was flawless. We were to answer 4 questions out of 7. I solved all 7 and we chose our answers randomly to avoid detection. Everyone was happy.

The time was 4pm. CHM 203. I didn't see my friends. Other students had already begun entering the hall. I still couldn't see them.

I was among the last students to enter the hall. I sat on one of the seats in the middle row. I was still trying to look around for my friends. Unknown to me, they were already in the hall and kept a seat for me.

I finally saw where they sat. They sat close to the back. They began signaling me to come, that they kept a seat for me.

About 3 dreaded lecturers were in the hall, so I was being careful 'cos the hall was already settled. As I turned my neck to assess the situation one last time, I heard a scream from one of the lecturers that sounded like a soldier who just came back from Sambisa forest.

Lecturer: You!! **Pointing at me**

Me: Sir me?

Lecturer: No, your forefathers... Stand up!

** Chisos! I don enter am today... Exam never even start.**

Me: Sir I didn't do anything...

Lecturer: Who were you talking to behind you?

Me: Sir, I wasn't talking to anyone... I'm having neck pain so I was just stretching my neck...

Lecturer: Oh, so you were stretching your neck to scan who you'll copy behind you, right? Come out here!

I went to meet him and he searched my pockets. Nothing. I was not bold enough then to go into an examination with any 'expo' or 'chukuli' or 'ochuko' (exhibits).

The lecturer took me to the front row seat. There was no one seated on the whole row 'cos it rained heavily that day and there were droplets of water on some parts of the bench.

I looked behind me, there was no one in the next row either. Same reason. Jeez! And I didn't read for this course.

** Chisos, I don enter one chance!**

The exam paper was served and for almost 30 minutes, I stared at them like it was written in Chinese. I looked around me and saw my other course mates writing furiously.

**Who send me make I no read this course myself sef **

I just told myself right there and then that I would have to write the course the next year. At least I would have more time to read well for it.

To my right was an old lady. She had the reputation of covering her work and not requesting for help during exams.

**Na she I for come ask**

Before I knew what was happening, she asked for extra sheets.

** Ha! And I never even write anything!**

'I refuse to accept defeat', I told myself 30minutes to the end of the exam. I didn't fail any of my 100L courses, I wasn't going to start now...

I looked at question 1a. I definitely didn't know it.

**Wait o, I'm supposed to know 1b na...**

I 'cracked' my brain, reviving lost memories of my high school Chemistry. I tried giving answers to some questions, albeit incompletely.

After the exams, my two friends came to meet me. One of them said, 'Guy why didn't you come na, we kept space for you.' 'Abeg, henceforth everybody go answer im papa name o', I replied them.

I went back home and began my fasting and prayers.

** Oh lord, even if it's just an E I get in this course, I'll manage it. Please don't let me fail. **

Finally results came out. We all had B's in MTH 202. They had B's in CHM 203 too while I had a C. Yeah, I had a C in the course.

I overjoyed. So I could do it after all! And that was the end of my 'collabo' or 'joint community effort' during any examination.

I definitely learnt my lessons!

Share yours...

Ol Boy!!! Laugh wan kill me with your shocking attack from those wiz lecturers...Pele at least you learnt your lesson and you've gone through it gloriously, na the Testimony we dey hear now...Congrats all the way...Cheerio

it was still ya fault. but you learn ya lessons ai.

My Unfunny Exam moments _None!

What an experience.
The girl that sat beside you reminds me of myself but I don't cover my work. I hate being distracted during examination, that time is a critical moment and I have to put my cognitive domain to work.

Lmao

I cn't just stop laughing D-I-O-X-I-R-Y-B-O-N-U-C-L-E-I-C A-C-I-D

Lol Never liked joint partnership from time ... but it helps sometimes especially during tests