By Adamu Abubakar


The northern part of Nigeria is the most slow in terms of education and infrastructure. Poverty has also made life unbearable for some northerners. Do we deserve an "accolade" for all these? Of course not!
As a northerner, these notorious "achievements" stab my heart with anguish and sorrow. I wish I can do much, and I hope my little write-up will edify the minds of many northerners.
The myriads of problems in the northern part of Nigeria emanated mostly from the ignoramous tendencies of some northerners. Though, some of our callous politicans are responsible for these problems. The "looters" from amongst the politicans, who were described as "Ambassadors of Poverty" by Nigerian poet, Philiph Umeh, are only interested in improving the size and quantity of their pockets.
Sometimes, I don't blame the southerners who rightly criticize the north. Their streets are littered with many ferlon beggars, many who are of northern extraction. Although, there are beggars from the south, but many are oblivious of their existence.
Education and enlightenment is the medication for most of these problems. However, many parents in the north see this medication as "worthless" or "too expensive" to afford, even though they may have the pecuniary means to afford it.
Somewhere in the north-east, I know a rich man, whom I believe is one of the richest men from his L.G.A. Only about 5% out of his many children attended a school. He decides who will school and who will not. Although, I don't totally loathe his decesion, for he takes care of all his children with his money, and bring them up properly.
Do not be surprised to see one man in the north with about fifty children. Most men with such children marry and divorce new wives continuously, as if they were an institution that graduates and admits new candidates. Ironically, poor men practice this form of lifestyle more than the rich, thereby placing on their shoulders elephant-weight responsibilities too big to handle. In homes like this, they usually depend on tuwo and "miyan-kuka" for a three-square meal.
Emir Sanusi of Kano once urged poor men to practice a monygamous form of marriage. If only they can listen to this! Polygamy is not as bad as it may be depicted here, but even the best thing in the world can be screwed-up if not handled or practiced properly.
The men who get involved in this dirty practice usually have nothing good doing to cater for the needs of their "mammoth" family. Children from such homes suffer more from the foolish decesions of their parents. Most of the boys get enrolled into an "Almajiri Academy," where they are expected to be inculcated with Islamic teachings. Gone are those days when most of the almajiris were pious and upright. The Almajiri Academies of today only worsen the illiteracy and ignorance of their students. Some now even engage in aberrant practices such as drinking and smoking.
END OF PART I

Good piece