I was at Niger state last week, my friend's neighbor said he ws going to his farm, I told hm I will like to go with him, he refused but after much persuasion, he decided to let me. He changed his mind about trekking and decided to go with his Keke bc of me which of course made it easier. Along the road, he showed me d Ex Governor's farm, I will say the land is just endless, with healthy looking crops. Dese people have fertile lands, the corns, groundnuts and sugarcane I ate were so fresh, I personally harvested them. My stay was short but I really enjoyed it. On my way back to Lagos, we stopped somewhere along Jebba road to eat, many kids were all over d place begging, some came 2 me bt I ignored dem, den dey did something dat caught my attention, a lady came out of d canteen with used plates for washing, as soon as she dropped dose plates and went 2 fetch water to wash dem, dose kids rushed dose plates and were licking d remnants wt dia tongues, I ws touched, I went bak to my bus, brought out a roll of biscuits I ws suppose to share my friends, culd one of d kids, stretched out my hand to give him d biscuit to share among demselves, d rests seeing d biscuit, rushed at me and snatched it from my hand. Dey tore d nylon and scattered it, each struggling to get his share. I see beggars everyday bt licking used plates of strangers is jst 2 much. Will any sane parents b happy seeing his or her kids in such condition? Luking so dirty and unkempt. I saw one wt serious rashes all over his legs, he needs medical care bt nobody cared. Why will parents bring out kids and live dem to fend 4 demselves? Dese kids were supposed to be in school bt there dey were, struggling 4 fud. Our leaders are busy talking about change, change cn neva start from up, it must start from families, if an ex governor cn own a farm, y cnt u? If u cnt go dat extent, go buy crops directly from dose farmers and resell, u ar 2 take care of Ur kids, nt d oda way round, stop bringing kids out to suffer.

Anybody who lives in that kind of condition can grow up and become a harden criminal, or terrorrist. This is because they have lived a very harsh live they have adapt, they dont get sick anymore infact they are immune to pain. Now tell me how can i not get recruit in them if i want to start a terrorr group?? how can i not get suicide bombers from them if i need one. They are the weakest and most vulnerable link in the chain am not going to call the government on this because they will do nothing. We as citizens should contribute in bringing them out of the mess they are in if you are wealthy enough you can sponsor one or two depending on how rich you are. The Government doesn't have time for them infact they have no time for anything important. We are they once who will change ourselves.

OP, You just had your first experience of almajiris in the North.

please I have stayed in the north and wen I got in intially I was full of pity but wen I finally realised thier mindset, I left them for God.


Their parents are probably a gateman somewhere like where I work now earning N15000 per month and is married to 2 wives and still insists that he wants to marry 2 more wives and have like 12 kids.

Wen the issue of birth control was discussed in the house of reps some last year or thereabouts, northern leaders vehemently kicked against it.

I have personally counselled their parents on family planning and living within thier means ....but they tell me things like' God will take care of the children'



.....so I say to u op, worry not for God will take care of the children.


Shalom.

Back then in 2013, I was living in Awka. Our then gateman, lemme call him Akin had a young wife - 17 years by my estimate and 2 kids. The older one and the younger one - a suckler. Then again, there was another young girl - Happiness (About 7years) living them, all these people in one small gatehouse with toilet inside the small apartment less that 40square meters.

Back then my mum had an NGO and we kept asking this family to check ANY school of their choice within the environs, get their enrollment list and let's get Happiness to school. For wia! The only person that understands a little English then was the gateman himself. Whenever you talked to him about it, he'll start behaving/pretending to be mentally unstable. At some point, he started dodging up outrightly. Like asking Happiness or Madam to open the gate when it's either me or my mum.

One day, my mum and I went to a private school just 5 mins walk from our house, got all the requirements, got back, gave it to him. Asked him to come and collect the items on Sat, so that Happiness can start school on Monday. He said ok. No show. On Tuesday, he said "madam go take them go village".

By the next weekend, he "resigned". And my bro saw them two buildings away from ours doing another gateman job

Summary: You cannot change a person who does not want change. so we are all helpless

Nawaooo, dis is indeed 2much,as I sat dere watching dem struggle 4 d biscuits, I tried 2 picture my self as a kid growing up in such condition, it ws 2 impossible to imagine, I didn't no wen tears dropped off my eyes, d man sitting nxt 2 me, tapped my shoulder and sed I shudnt boda myself, dat dey ar very happy even in dat condition, dey ar jst 2 little 4 such life

flyca:
Back then in 2013, I was living in Awka. Our then gateman, lemme call him Akin had a young wife - 17 years by my estimate and 2 kids. The older one and the younger one - a suckler. Then again, there was another young girl - Happiness (About 7years) living them, all these people in one small gatehouse with toilet inside the small apartment less that 40square meters.

Back then my mum had an NGO and we kept asking this family to check ANY school of their choice within the environs, get their enrollment list and let's get Happiness to school. For wia! The only person that understands a little English then was the gateman himself. Whenever you talked to him about it, he'll start behaving/pretending to be mentally unstable. At some point, he started dodging up outrightly. Like asking Happiness to open the gate when it's either me or my mum.

One day, my mum and I went to a private school just 5 mins walk from our house, got all the requirements, got back, gave it to him. Asked him to come and collect the items on Sat, so that happiness can start school on Monday. He said ok. No show. On Tuesday, he said "madam go take them go village".

By the next weekend, he "resigned". And my bro saw them two buildings away from ours doing another gateman job

Summary: You cannot change a person who does not want change. so we are all helpless

The almajiri system/culture is so deep-rooted that whatever effort you make to get the children off the streets and send them to school will be frustrated. They prefer roaming about tattered, looking pale with flies pecking on their cracked lips to living a good life. I tried helping one some years back and he called me 'Dan banza'. His mallam came to the office the next day and told me to not 'brainwash' his supposed ward. Since then, I dey maintain my lane with them.
One can only imagine the mind control techniques their mallams use on them. The model school that was established by Goodluck Jonathan's administration in katsina state to help take them off the street has since turned to a cattle grazing center .

Almajeris....all over the north,at least I know of kano Kaduna and Minna cos I've lived there..like flyca said you can't help someone who doesn't want to accept help.. they can even rebel against you if you want to help one of them... they are contended as long as you give them left over meals and used clothes..some don't even remember their homes anymore...very sad
I don't blame the poor kids, I blame the parents and the kind of religious and political leaders they have up north(no offence intended).
Sad thing is they grow up to become nuisance on the street....they still need lot of awareness up there