The Almajiri's are the most deprived children in Nigeria,They were forced to be deprived their right as children and as adults. If we think its non of our business,we will always have the problem of people whose life had no meaning to them,whereby being used for political and religions violence.

Lets try and proffer way for the government on how they can help end this abuse in Nigeria.

Its thought and idea is highly welcome here.

what do you think the Federal and state government can do to end this child abuse?

Thanks

"Al'majir" or "Almajiri" is an institution, a social one.

Philosophically, it is on the par of social welfare in Western countries. Its practice and operation however is not anywhere at par with them.

Its purpose in Islam is for both economic and cultural reasons.

I can explain further on the above statement if clarity is needed but let me go to topic.


The government need to come up with a robust social priogramme that centers on wealth redistribution for Nigerian citizens.

Such a programme will be a expensive launch but its benefits will pay off in the offsets gained through an elevated quality of living and social evolution.

Al'majir" or "Almajiri" is an institution, a social one.

Philosophically, it is on the par of social welfare in Western countries. Its practice and operation however is not anywhere at par with them.

Its purpose in Islam is for both economic and cultural reasons.


plz explain what you mean by this above,

can you please give an insight of the program which should be developed by the govt to tackle this problem, assuming you are in govt, what will the program look like and how does it end this problem.

Thanks

It isn't the government's fault, it is that of the parents, is it not?

Anyway, going to real schools should be made mandatory, if it is not already. And if it is already the law, the law should be enforced.

Negro_Ntns:

"Al'majir" or "Almajiri" is an institution, a social one.

Philosophically, it is on the par of social welfare in Western countries. Its practice and operation however is not anywhere at par with them.

Its purpose in Islam is for both economic and cultural reasons.

I can explain further on the above statement if clarity is needed but let me go to topic.


The government need to come up with a robust social priogramme that centers on wealth redistribution for Nigerian citizens.

Such a programme will be a expensive launch but its benefits will pay off in the offsets gained through an elevated quality of living and social evolution.

It's the governments up there in Arewa that need to redistribute their wealth.

ezeagu:

It's the governments up there in Arewa that need to redistribute their wealth.

it goes beyond arewa

it is people like IBB that have 17 oil blocks, ciroma, emir, and the governors that need to redistribute there wealth

this people only keep there wealth for themselves and make everyone illitrates so duing election, they can easly be used to carry out riots without them paying much

Core northerners need to wake up, but it is almost impossible because it is even hard to communicate with those with not primary school education and also rarely go for Islamic classes but clam to be fighting for Muslims when they have not even read the Quran properly

Bilms,

Before I go into the explanation. I would like for you do a little bit of catch up. If you are not already familiar with the concept of wealth or resource re-distribution, you should get a summary understanding of what it means.

At its core, Almajiri, is for those on a spiritual path of acquiring knowledge - an acolyte, so to speak or even one who is a scholar and is secluded in worship and praise - like an hermit for an instance.


Sharia decrees that every able bodied man must be gainfully productive. So Sharia supports the  economic principles of input and output, as well as demand/supply.

Many people are unaware, sharia also supports the "law of comparative adantage".

In a social setting, every able bodied adult male is therefore expected to have an output through which it earns a bargaining power to secure his input (or needs), which was an output from someone else.

An elaborate system of exchange that thus build trust, bond, support and growth for the community.

No human system is perfect. So there will be rare circumstances in which an adult male member of the community is indingent and does not have the bargaining power to earn an input or obtain needs for himself or his household.

How should the community attend to such issue?

Redistribution!!!

Redistribution itself as a social tool is complex but we should stay at its surface here.

By virtue of redistribution, you also create social class or status. Therein exist a power for discriminating and or abusing the condition of the poor indingent.  

To check that abuse, the Sharia decrees with a mandate that all who have a produce shall before making a bargain on it cast aside a small portion for the needy who has no means to feed himself.

It (Sharia) then pleads to those who after their exchange is completed and their household is taken care of whatever excess or left over they don't need should be given as support to those who are incapacitated from feeding themselves.

Now, let's examine who is qualified to benefit from these two layers of support - the mandatory; the optional.

I said earlier that circumstance can handicap an able bodied man from earning livelihood.

Those circumstance could be due to situation of birth or some other physical deformity that might make it impossible for the individual to realize or manifest his abilities productively.

Another one is community service. Someone employed in a service to the overall well being of the community.

Let's stop here on these two and highlight who these individuals are.

Of the first category will be handicap persons -  elderly, blind, paraplegic, mental illness, acute bone deformity, whether congenital or through accident and so on.

Of the second category will be - clergy, soldiers, students (in all sense of learning and scholarship), rulers (and those appointed to assist him), and so on.

The western approach:
In the West, these people are taken care of through a multi-layer of social welfare programms poppularly referred to as "entitlements".

The eldrely and the handicapped have supplemental security income, disability income, retirement income and so on.  

The rulers, soldiers, clergy, students and so on are paid out of treasury or tax funds, scholarship grants, community based and faith based funds and so on.

There is a third one which was designed originally with women in mind but has since been opened to accomodate all- supplemental income checks for women nursing or with children, food stamp, milk and nutritional food coupons.

There is yet another layer of support. Housing! Applicants are screened based on a means-based criteria and are placed accordingly into apartment shelters. This one is also heavily favored for women with children or a custodial father.  


The Northern Nigerian approach:

There is no distinction or categorization. Money is dispensed through community mosques for shelter and feeding.

The process - the mosque follows the guideline of the Sharia and collects mandatory donations from members in the community. It is required to deduct its own dues and the rest is allocated to madrassas as well to walk-in almajiris looking for help.

Well to do individuals also have scheduled days and times in which almajiris are encouraged to gather at their residence and are fed, given clothes and some money.  This is not done as a substitute to the masjid (mosque) but in fact as a supplement. This is that obligatory part, whereas the masjid was a mandatory.

Madrassa (a citadel), different from makaranta (school).
The madrasa can be compared to a cross between a temple and a boot camp.

A temple because its supposed to be a sacred ground for serious religious indoctrination.

A boot camp because, the consciousness of the student need to be unlocked so he has a new awareness of himself that he never had before. This therefore demands regimen and discipline.

The student has to be fed, sheltered and schooled as well as empowered with a new identity. He has no time to earn a living outside the madrassa, therefore his needs are borne by the community.


Street begging:
The concept of almajiri in its Sharia context is lost on us. The Northerner is not adhering to the decrees and has basically merged the local customs for manhood training in Hausaland with the Sharia doctrine of knowledge and scholarship.

The almajiri is bred in this confusion and in turn becomes a mallam (Mu'Alim - a "sage" or "teacher" to teach other acolytes who follow the cycle of almajiri, destroying and damaging the principles of communal living instead of uplifting it with their mystical knowledge.

Those people are northerners now, I think they should declare Arewa and then share the wealth, you get military so no one will oppose you now.

I THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS TOPIC.

@NEGRO,i perfectly understand your point.

but my concern is not about the northern confusion,but the solution. everyone can explain the problem from one angle to the other.

what am trying to get now is solution perspective from everyone.

I am seriously concerned about these people and i have designed a practical solution that can be employed by government,but i need more ideas from people to add up for effective implementation.

Thanks for your contribution.

I think you should consider how other countries dealt with their 'wayward' street children issue such as the problem in the Favelas of Brazil. We need a holistic approach incorporating the Govt, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders and the wider community to accept Almajiris as part of the community and not people that are there to be ignored, used and abused.

Children cannot rear responsible children.Most adults in nigeria have the mentality of infants that are ignorant of cognitive.

<Quote>
Sookie:
I think you should consider how other countries dealt with their 'wayward' street children issue such as the problem in the Favelas of Brazil. We need a holistic approach incorporating the Govt, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders and the wider community to accept Almajiris as part of the community and not people that are there to be ignored, used and abused. </quote>


Sookie, we need an approach that is consistent and in harmony with our native beliefs. Nothing we borrowed from outside has ever done us good and been effective in the long term.

I like the second part of your response on the need for recognition, acceptance and accomodation.

Thank you for that great insight.


Bilms,

My suggestion will align with pre existing customs for disposing such social problems, without the harsh penalties that are often attached.

I will first encourage that we face forward on national issues. What do I mean by this?

Nothing at the center is benefiting anyone of the component ethic groups. So going forward, proposals for social rehabilition should be formulated on a regional platform so that in th event the proposal is adopted for law and implementaion, the regions are thus empowered to interpret it as it fits their local needs.

This approach clears way for a new political awareness and a test for a true dissociation that can return each region back to its sovereign rights for its nationals.

I do not know where you stand on national issues and will therefore not want to offend your sense of patriotism to Nigeria with a list of critical steps that in their context will be truly anti-nationalism.

With this revelation, let me know if you are still interested in my suggestions on the topic.

your suggestion is highly welcome..

please