Ndi Kato is a 28-year-old female politician. She has declared her intention to contest for a seat in the Kaduna State House of Assembly on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections. Ms Kato seeks to end the drought of female representation in the legislative arm of Government in the North-western region of Nigeria; the only region with no woman in the State Assembly, Federal House of Representatives and Senate.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES’ Ebuka Onyeji, Ms Kato says if elected, she will introduce a bill to abolish the Almajiri system in Northern Nigeria. She also gives insights into why female representation in governance is low, the challenges women face in politics and how she plans to address these.

Excerpts:

PT: How do you intend to break the drought of woman representation in your region and again what do you want to do differently?

Kato: Well, I’ve spent the past couple of years building a political career in PDP, it was not easy, one can’t be naive. I am bringing a new angle to politics. I’m more vocal, radical and more do or die than I think a couple of people out there. I intend to keep my identity as who I am. I don’t want things to change when I get power. Though I have to consider the reality of politics which is quite different when you are with power but I also think that am the one who can’t keep her mouth shut like Senator Shehu Sani who is always vocal.

The angle I’m coming into politics with is care, I think if you show people you care you will get positive results. People react to care and empathy. One thing about some politicians is that they enter office thinking they are doing the people a favor but in actual sense , we are only doing our jobs, it is what we have to do. We asked for this job, we should serve and nothing more. People should not roll over or bow before us because we built a road or something.

My manifesto is centered around security and peace building. My constituency is crisis prone so it really make sense if I make this number one on my list. I want to sponsor a bill to establish community watch so that people can work together with the Nigerian Army to tackle crisis and identify signs of conflict. A lot of empowerment training is another thing we want to do for women and other people who have lost a lot to these crises so as to tackle poverty. I want to include peace and conflict training on this empowerment. In my local government, we have a lot of single parents because many of the men are the first to get killed during crisis. Most families are led by women now and because of culture most of these women don’t have anything doing. We have to empower these women and I want to initiate policies that will improve maternal/child health care.

For education, I intend to sponsor a bill for free and compulsory education from Nursery to Secondary school level in Kaduna State and establish guidance and counseling units in all the schools because I feel there is a lack of ambition where am coming from. A lot of our young people are also plagued with mental health issues because of the crisis and environment, these guidance and counseling units will also see to that.

Alamjiri-nchi is a serious issue to me, we are talking about over 5 million children in Nigeria in the streets. It is really problematic. I intend to sponsor a bill to abolish the Almajiri system which is basically child slavery.

PT: Sponsoring a bill to abolish the Almajiri system is a daring move, how do you intend to go about that?

Kato: Right now, I am walking with a bullseye on my head, I speak against the government of the day and I have a lot of controversy here and there, I don’t think adding one more would scare me. Women die and men die. I also want to point out that I was not raised with gender roles so there is nothing a woman or man can do to me. These are boys who are under slavery. I lived in the quarters here in Abuja where these boys used to come and beg. As a child I was raised with everything at my disposal with the comfort of my parents but these boys did not and I feel very bad the way they are treated, they go around to beg and if they return with no money to their mallams then they have to fetch firewood.

These are the boys around my own area. Some of them die and when they die their handlers don’t even care. Their lives most time have no value. The question is what future are we preparing the Almajiri child for? I don’t think it’s something that should be controversial to say that in 2018, child slavery should be abolished because that is what it is.

The Almajiri system might be set up for something good but it’s been grossly abused and that is the situation right now. The lives of youngsters are at stake and by extension, the future of Nigeria. I think we should have no problem curtailing this trend and even if it’s a system that we want to continue then we have to monitor it. Lets know if it’s an orphanage, the structure must be spelled out. Are the boys been taking care of? No child should be on the street begging. There are lots of young people like me working around these issues and I think we can achieve a lot if we work together.

PT: Are you aware of Alamjiri schools were set up by the previous administration, some critics say it’s performing below expectation. Have you rather tried to look into this schooling system?

Kato: Yes, I’ve looked into it. I remember when I mentioned to my team that I want to raise a bill to abolish the Almajiri system, we agreed that we cannot just abolish it without creating a proper channel. The question is where will the boys go to? I always believe in processes, if we don’t focus on processes we are wasting our time.We have to take a closer look at the Almajiri schools, who is running them, do we have a board in place to make sure that things are being ran properly? This is over 5 million children that we talking about so we need to make sure there is a process and channel where these children can be taken proper care of.

Those we can still find their parents will be returned. There is no reason why these boys should not be in school. There should be a system in place to follow up the lives of these young boys. With the high rate of drugs and violence in the streets of the North, there is an army of children in the streets, an army of boys and that is what Almajiri system is.

Keep in mind that at a certain age they will be kicked out in the street so you see that this is an army of boys that can be used by any organisation to start trouble and we have seen over time that they can be used like this so we have to monitor them. It is a phasing out and rehabilitation process when we say we are ending it. We will have to follow through the process gradually till the next 20 years or so. I believe we should follow up and I think government is a continuum so we will follow it even after I must have left the state house of assembly to higher grounds by Gods grace.

This project is supported by Ford Foundation.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nwest/277285-why-i-want-the-almajiri-system-in-northern-nigeria-abolished-female-assembly-candidate.html

Front Page: Lalasticlala mynd44

Good one.
Good luck.

There's no reason to have millions of uneducated people running without skills. They wont lead productive lives if they dont get chance earn some skills. The senate recommended Almajari system be merged with western education system in 20 security recommendations.

PS: She also delves into other topics. You guys are free to read full interview. I cut It because it was pretty long.

Ms kato (huge)

You know it's not possible nah

Begging is a custom in Northern Nigeria; It cannot be changed .

Anything is possible...

Almajiri the breeding ground for miscreants.

My Yoruba Muslim friends
This lady is fighting Islamic customs and traditions in the north.... It's Haram in the north...
Please rise and defend the caliphate

Lol... that would be very good...

Blue3k:
Theres no reason for Nigeria to have 5 million kids wondering around not getting an education. The should be in school to learn some sort of skill. The senate recommended Almajari system be merged with western education system in security 20 recommendations.

She also delves into other topics. You guys are free to read full interview. I cut It because it was pretty long.

So you don't know that western education is a sin....
The elites send their kids to the best schools abroad and make sure the almajiri system is in place..
They are seen as tools
They are numbers in elections and ready to kill and destroy when order is given

I have been to the north
I have seen the huge gap between the elites and the rest
Bridging the gap means removing people from poverty and enlightenment... It means curing zombiesm in the land..

I don't see that happening
Buhari needs his zombies.. There is an election coming

Sai barber
Barber is pighting kwarapsion

Can anyone explain how these boys end up as almajari. Are they orphans or do parents just send them away.

Those we can still find their parents will be returned. There is no reason why these boys should not be in school. There should be a system in place to follow up the lives of these young boys. 

Shouldnt these questions be a simple google search?

We have to take a closer look at the Almajiri schools, who is running them, do we have a board in place to make sure that things are being ran properly?

Front Page: Lalasticlala

Bump

The Almajiru system is why we have so many touts and boko haram recruits.

Cc Lalasticlala mynd44 dominique Ishilove seun

Who is this woman? Almajiri is our heritage, you cannot abolish it. Most big politicians in the North were once almajiri, It is Islamic and we love the system, Who are u to abolish it.

post=69596483:
Good one. Good luck.

6:33 AM.
BMC's Nairaland Chief Resident Officer.

Lol she says its child slavery. I guess shes the great northern abolitionist. The system does need reformed because it cant exist. Its not beneficial for children or society as a whole. All the history I skimmed through say it collapsed after British came. The Senate wants it reformed by adding western education.

Why not set up Madrasahs(Islamic schools) like in other countries. They can learn islam and other skills and trades. THis current almajari system is nonsense.

vanunu:
Who is this woman? Almajiri is our heritage, you cannot abolish it. Most big politicians in the North were once almajiri, It is Islamic and we love the system, Who are u to abolish it.

Front page: Lalasticlala

Blue3k:
Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nwest/277285-why-i-want-the-almajiri-system-in-northern-nigeria-abolished-female-assembly-candidate.html

Front Page: Lalasticlala mynd44

Hmmn....I really admire this woman. She asked a valid question. "What future are we raising these almajiri boys for?" She also clearly articulated a few other things she plans to tackle, once she gets into the national assembly.

The question is where will the boys go to? I always believe in processes, if we don’t focus on processes we are wasting our time.We have to take a closer look at the Almajiri schools, who is running them, do we have a board in place to make sure that things are being ran properl? This is over 5 million children that we talking about so we need to make sure there is a process and channel where these children can be taken proper care of.

I really pray she wins a seat in the assembly. But knowing the patriarchal nature of the Kaduna elite, and the fact that some idi'ots are benefiting from the Almajiri system, she would find it difficult to scale through. Anyway, I hope & pray she wins, and her plans are not thwarted by undesirable elements and their selfish interests.

vanunu:
Who is this woman? Almajiri is our heritage, you cannot abolish it. Most big politicians in the North were once almajiri, It is Islamic and we love the system, Who are u to abolish it.

And that is why many parts of the North, are still so backward. Times have changed and modernity has come, but people are so ignorant about accepting that change. Go to Qatar, Abu Dhabi and some other Islamic cities and countries. You will not find this useless Almajiri system over there. And these nations are well developed and thriving.

Sharpshooota:
My Yoruba Muslim friends
This lady is fighting Islamic customs and traditions in the north.... It's Haram in the north...
Please rise and defend the caliphate

Are you deliberately being obtuse or intentionally stuvpid? Many muslims in the Southwest are rather enlightened and progressive. Ever heard of Fashola, the former governor of Lagos?

Abolishing Almajiri is like abolishing Osu in East.

The camel will pass through the eye of a needle before this fantasy will ever become reality.

Sharpshooota:
My Yoruba Muslim friends
This lady is fighting Islamic customs and traditions in the north.... It's Haram in the north...
Please rise and defend the caliphate

Even as a non Muslim I can tell u that there's nothing Islamic about almagiri caste system.
Which religion teaches one to abandon his wards for someone else to do as he wills??

It's just an adopted believe by northern political elites to gain political advantage and resources.

Because, even though Islam allows polygamy, but there's stringent conditions on fairness n responsibility to all the family members.
But because the motive was wrong, abuse became inevitable. That's d consequences we are seeing clearly now.
U see northern youths littered all over the country doing anything just to get food into their bellies.

BabaRamota1980:
Abolishing Almajiri is like abolishing Osu in East.

The camel will pass through the eye of a needle before this fantasy will ever become reality.

I grew up in the east and have lived my entire life in the east, and to be honest, I can't give you a convincing definition of "osu". I haven't bordered to make any research on it or try to find out anything about it, cause if it's still relevant in the east today, or if I should have known about it, then I believe the knowledge of "osu" should have come to me.
I've always seen that word as a kind of diss, thrown at easterners by online bigots.

vanunu:
Who is this woman? Almajiri is our heritage, you cannot abolish it. Most big politicians in the North were once almajiri, It is Islamic and we love the system, Who are u to abolish it.

The lady talked about 5million children roaming the streets because of this Almajiri something (we've definitely Seen higher figures from other sources), don't you think that 5million+ kids roaming the streets of Nigeria, depending on the compassion of other humans((not their parents who brought them into this world, without first asking them how they felt about it, and should be solely responsible for them)) for sustenance is a bit out of the ordinary??
I mean all of us want Nigeria to become a deceloped country one day, but I'm sure that if we ask the already developed countries how they did it, none of them would mention the Almajiri system as a prerequisite.

Their products are roaming Nairaland here, it's very evident.

Especially that jobless BBQ guy, he should go back to school.

Rgade:


I grew up in the east and have lived my entire life in the east, and to be honest, I can't give you a convincing definition of "osu". I haven't bordered to make any research on it or try to find out anything about it, cause if it's still relevant in the east today, or if I should have known about it, then I believe the knowledge of "osu" should have come to me.
I've always seen that word as a kind of diss, thrown at easterners by online bigots.

online bigots like BabaRamota1980

Bump

Bump again

Shut up...



Try it and see.

IsaAbubakar:
that's one of the reasons they ousted Gej.

Jonathan wanted to put meaning in these children lives by building numerous almajiri schools for them but the elites including Buhari saw it as a threat to their political existence hence they teamed up irrespective of party affluence and sent Gej out.

today those schools are in ruins and terrorists are increasing daily.

fact is that our northern elites are the one throwing us backward.
they pretend to love us but sees us as urchins.

But as an Islamic scholar that knows what's up it's my sole duty to educate my people of the dangers of supporting terrorism like some do support terrorist Buhari.

Buhari is a criminal terrorist
aisha is a shameless corrupt prostitute
kiss the truth

Assalamualaikum my people
greetings from sheikh Isa Abubakar Usman from kebbi

hehehe.is there still PDP in kebbi state.lol

Anyday the almajiri system is abolished, nothern politicians will become politically impotent. Almajiri system causes mass hysteria when incited, massive violence and even massive vote.
The Almajiri system is the leash that holds the northern politicians with the illiterate northern masses. GEJ tried to tamper with it by introducing almajiri education but northern leaders hated him for it because they knew the value of the illiterate almajiri system.

Tinubu is also adopting the same methodology in yorubaland and killing education through APC governors, and he is succeeding because Oyo and Osun are now more illiterate than Borno according to WAEC statistics. yoruba muslims are the latest almajiris. They no longer go to proper school but ile kewu (arabic almajiri schools).

Hmmmm