Almajiris? Loafers! Leeches! Parasites! Panhandlers! Beggarly people! What nomenclature has not been used to describe the unbridled lazy aversion to hard-work of the people of northern Nigeria. Now, finally there is an admission by the one voice which speaks for northern Nigeria - AREWA, that the people of northern Nigeria are lazy and parasitic on the rest of the country. This is a truism of what everyone already knows but which nobody will admit publicly because of political correctness. Now that AREWA has publicly admitted to this fact, it is now fair game to discuss it openly. It is the culture of perfidy of institutionalized laziness (almajiris) which is the bane of No
rthern Nigeria. How 
can a culture inculcate in its people that a person's status is ordained by Allah and nothing should be done to change it. This makes it possible for the beehive of teenagers who loiter from one street corner to another in the north asking for handouts while their mates from the south are busy studying in school or pursuing various other vocations including trading. Why would the north not be poor and dependent on the rest of Nigerians when there is no viable feeder from within its populace to oil their economy? Let the truth be told that Nigeria might finally be rid of this clog in its wheel 
of progress. Now that AREWA has spoken the truth at last; let the freedom bell ring - free at last! free at last! If only this will jolt northern Nigeria out of their lazy stupor, then the job of Soludo, AREWA and Icheoku as well as other brave talkers is done. Finally Nigeria may have turned the corner by this clear admission of AREWA that people of northern Nigeria are lazy and parasitic. Icheoku re-echoes this sentiment of AREWA and affirms that AREWA is right on the mark with this admission. So lazy people of the north, wake up, roll up your sleeves and off to work you must now go to alleviate your poverty status! Asalam alekum!
rthern Nigeria. How 
can a culture inculcate in its people that a person's status is ordained by Allah and nothing should be done to change it. This makes it possible for the beehive of teenagers who loiter from one street corner to another in the north asking for handouts while their mates from the south are busy studying in school or pursuing various other vocations including trading. Why would the north not be poor and dependent on the rest of Nigerians when there is no viable feeder from within its populace to oil their economy? Let the truth be told that Nigeria might finally be rid of this clog in its wheel 
of progress. Now that AREWA has spoken the truth at last; let the freedom bell ring - free at last! free at last! If only this will jolt northern Nigeria out of their lazy stupor, then the job of Soludo, AREWA and Icheoku as well as other brave talkers is done. Finally Nigeria may have turned the corner by this clear admission of AREWA that people of northern Nigeria are lazy and parasitic. Icheoku re-echoes this sentiment of AREWA and affirms that AREWA is right on the mark with this admission. So lazy people of the north, wake up, roll up your sleeves and off to work you must now go to alleviate your poverty status! Asalam alekum!Now read the said admission of AREWA that the northerners are lazy and parastic!
By Segun Olatunji, Kaduna
Published: Thursday, 31 Jul 2008
The Arewa Consultative Forum on Wednesday disagreed with the 19 northern state governors that northerners were not parasites on other regions of the country. ACF said that indeed, “northerners are lazy and parasites” on other regions, pointing out that there was no reason to run away from the truth.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the ACF National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani. It, however, said that the people of the Niger Delta were responsible for the economic woes of the North, having raided the people of the Middle Belt who were part of the North as slaves for the whites during the colonial days. The forum also flayed the Senate President, David Mark, over his comment that the organisation consisted of failed politicians who were in the habit of imposing their views on northerners. Apparently referring to the controversy surrounding the victory of the Senate President at the election petitions tribunal, ACF said, “Winning election is one thing and earning the honour is another.” The ACF further welcomed the assertion by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on the pervasive poverty and illiteracy in the North, urging him to match his expression of concern with positive actions in the area of employment according to Federal Character, as a way of reducing the problems. Meanwhile, the Northern Democratic Coalition on Wednesday condemned the First Northern Agricultural Summit that just ended in Kaduna, describing it as‘fraud.’ In a statement entitled, “Fraudulent Northern Agricultural Summit,” and jointly signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Al-Basir, and Secretary, Elisha Kura, the group condemned the 19 northern governors over what it described as ”another jamboree” aimed at fleecing the people of their money. The group said, “This is another fraud of the century because it has been confirmed that the governors of the 19 northern states, banks and individuals contributed N3.6bn to organise the summit. “This is an amount large enough to take care of a large number of the poverty-stricken people of the North. Clearly, this is an agenda of some self-styled leaders of the North to further enrich themselves to the detriment of the less privileged.”
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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Poverty in Northern Nigeria
ReplyDelete31 July, 2008 02:00:00 Obi Iwuagwu
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I had not made up my mind to write on the issue of poverty in Northern Nigeria, following the outcry by Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo at the public lecture in Kaduna, organised by the Northern Development Initiative, until I read last Saturday’s story in the Weekend Trust titled "North’s Vicious Circle of Poverty".
This story immediately provided the background that I needed, once I decided to comment on this issue. For the benefit of those, who may not have seen that story, I intend to quote copiously from its first paragraph, especially to show the seriousness of this matter that dominated national discourse throughout last week.
According to the Report in the Daily Trust, "A typical spectacle in the streets of most of the cities and towns of Northern Nigeria looks like this: multiple streams of school age children roaming about with begging bowls if they are boys and with tray loads balanced on their heads selling trifles if they are girls. If they are youths, aged 20 and above or thereabout the males are likely to be selling petrol measured in jerry cans in the black market or loafing idly and the females will have small or big basins doling out food to buyers in the streets. Those middle-aged or older reclining tiredly on mats spread in street corners are likely to be beggars with no discrimination to gender. On the same streets, the latest brand of hummers, luxury Honda or Mercedes cars sure to draw a long glance will be purring softly as it traverses pot-hole filled roads with its expensively dressed occupants. In virtually every street even in the poorest neighbourhoods, there will be the usual big mansion looking over dilapidated houses that have seen better days. This is the caricature of the two worlds, which combine to make up the North today – one of abject poverty, disease and illiteracy and the other of stupendous wealth and sophistication".
If you are familiar with some of the cities in Northern Nigeria, you will agree that the description above is a statement of fact. But let me also add that those living under poverty are in the majority. According to Soludo, "poverty is unacceptably high in Nigeria but the alarming and persisting level of poverty in Nigeria is a phenomenon in the North. While Lagos State records the highest poverty level in the South, which is about 60 percent, there is no State with less than 60 percent in the North. It is as high as 95 percent in some Northern States". Current figures indicate that Jigawa State tops the list of Northern States with high incidence of poverty with 95 percent, followed by Kebbi with 89.7 percent; Kogi 88.6 percent; Bauchi 86.3 percent; Kwara 85.2 percent; Yobe 83.3percent; Zamfara 80.9 percent; Gombe 77 percent; Sokoto 76.8 percent; and Adamawa 71.7 percent.
Poverty in Northern Nigeria comes in different dimensions. However, the following features are more frequently noticed: uneducated people who are incapable of undertaking any serious businesses except menial jobs including load lifting, digging, cart pushing and informal security (Maiguard); living in shanties and uncompleted buildings with frequent resort to begging; and, women mostly exposed to all sorts of diseases including HIV/AIDS and VVF.
The situation also seems to be worsening. In fact, many now think that it should be treated as a national calamity at the same level with the Niger Delta. As Prof. Soludo also showed, sixteen Northern States excluding Benue, Kwara and Kogi had a total of about 73, 000 candidates out of the over 1 million University applicants in the country registered to sit for the last University Matriculation Examination (UME). This compares with Anambra State alone with 60, 000 candidates and Imo State with 100, 000 candidates.
The foregoing calls for concern given that the North, going by the last population census, constitutes 52 percent of Nigeria’s population. What this means is that no matter how much Nigeria tries to leap frog its economy, reasonable progress cannot be achieved until the poverty situation in the North is addressed. In the circumstance, education is important. We must promote universal basic education, bearing in mind that children without any formal education are starting life with a severe handicap - one that almost ensures that they will remain in abject poverty. This is also bearing in mind that illiteracy and innumeracy are greater threats to humanity than even terrorism and HIV/AIDS combined.
I am aware that commerce and industry including agriculture are major activities in Northern Nigeria. It is important therefore to revitalise the trade in agricultural commodity exports including Cotton, Groundnut, Gum Arabic, Sheanut, Sesame Seed and lately Jatropa Curcas (Babulu in Hausa) all of which are potential sources of income for the rural people. Setting up processing plants especially to add value to these crops, will further provide employment opportunities for the people. While doing these, we must discourage begging and promote creativity and innovation to empower the citizens economically.
It is consoling that the Northern Governors Forum has realised the enormity of this challenge and therefore resolved to deal with it by implementing progressive policies on education, health and agriculture. This is going by the words of its chairman and Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu after their recent meeting. According to him, the governors "would not allow the level of poverty in Northern Nigeria to reach the crisis level of the Niger Delta. This is why we are integrating the almajirai’s (child beggars) into the educational system. We are aware of our problems and we are working towards resolving them".
Honestly, I want to take them serious, while at the same time hoping that Nigeria would not soon be confronted by a more serious crisis than that of the Niger Delta.
Tackling AlmajiRci
ReplyDeleteNew Nigerian is deeply concerned that the problem of almajirci or street begging by children has become a hard nut to crack, particularly in the northern part of the country. Attention has been drawn severally to the long-standing problem, but it has become apparent that adequate efforts are not being made to effectively address the issue. Almajirci is a process of non-formal education whereby parents send children to learned Islamic clerics for Quranic lessons. In the olden days, the burden of maintaining the children was not left to the teachers alone, as parents made enough provision for the upkeep of their offspring and wards.
Many families, especially in northern communities, embraced the almajirci system because of the discipline it instilled in children. It is sad to note today that the otherwise noble system has become a big problem because it has been abused over the years. The trend, today, is a great departure from the past where children acquiring Quranic knowledge either remained under the care of their teachers or returned home after the lessons to prepare for formal school. Unfortunately, such kids are now found all over the streets clutching bowls begging for food and alms or searching waste bins for leftovers. The most disturbing aspect is that some of the children who are barely out of their nappies go to public places daily to fend for themselves, their parents and even teachers.
Because of poverty parents now use the cover of almajirci to send their children out, not minding the hazards they confront. They are abused, killed for rituals or run over while trying to beg for alms in heavy traffic. Worse still, the innocent children are ready tools in the hands of unscrupulous individuals who use them to cause crisis. The number of these kids on our streets increases by the day and the society is the worse for it. Indeed, it is a matter of regret that this vital part of the population is left to languish away when we should be preparing them for nation-building. Although we are aware that the various authorities in the north had previously planned to resolve the almajirci issue but such efforts have come to naught. Kano State Government which took the bold step to introduce the Tsangaya programme to sanitise the almajirci system of education is yet to achieve the desired objective. This is due largely to the problem which cannot easily be solved by individual states; it needs a collaborative effort. That is why the Kano project, rather than solve the problem, has attracted a large influx of child beggars into the ancient city to the extent that they now constitute a nuisance to members of the public.
We can no longer afford to fold our arms while our children waste away in this manner. The situation must be salvaged now before it is too late. Definitely, any nation that neglects the well-being of children ends up breeding social misfits. Such a society tells a sad story at the end of the day because it jeopardizes its future. We implore the northern state governments whose environment the almajirci problem is prevalent to rise to the occasion by taking concrete steps to resolve the issue. Since it is mostly poverty that compels families to turn their offspring into beggars, more needs to be done towards empowering people. The various governments must strive to tackle the problem at the roots through the effective implementation of poverty alleviation programmes down to the rural areas.
The almajirci system must be sanitized in a way that the children will also take advantage of the Universal Basic Education programme. Instead of roaming the streets aimlessly, they should combine the non-formal Quranic education with western education. We acknowledge that the almajirci issue is a sensitive one since it touches on religion; as such, religious leaders, traditional rulers as well as community leaders in the north must be enlightened about the need to take our children off the streets by reviewing almajirci.
At this juncture, it is equally imperative to urge the states in the north that are yet to consider the child’s rights act to do so for the progress of the society, especially the general good of children. Knotty matters that are hindering the passage of the bill could be sorted out to suit the peculiar culture of each state. Equally, we urge the northern governors’ wives’ forum to demonstrate more commitment towards addressing the embarrassing situation. As mothers, they should bear in mind that all children are entitled to some basic rights no matter the circumstances of their birth. Our leaders, particularly those from the north, must also realize that the sad condition of our children does not portray them in good light. It is time to act.
North to De-emphasise Reliance on Oil
ReplyDeleteBy Kunle Akogun, 08.20.2008
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Lagos
Northern Nigeria is planning a new economic drive that will de-emphasise reliance on oil revenue.
Towards this end, a pan-Northern economic summit tagged, "The Northern Economic and Investment Summit (NEIS 2008)," has been scheduled for Abuja between October 6 and 8.
Organised by the Conference of the Northern States Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCIMA), the summit has as its theme, "Transforming Potentials to Wealth."
CONSCIMA's Chairman, Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, who disclosed this, said the summit will focus specifically on agriculture, solid minerals, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), human capital development, public-private partnership, banking and finance and good governance.
He said President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is billed to declare the summit open, while former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon will chair the opening ceremony.
Ibrahim said the summit will attract key stakeholders in the North in public and private sectors who will brainstorm on how to boost the Northern economy and reduce poverty in Northern states.
"We want everybody on board. The North has many people in the commanding height of the Nigerian economy, we want them at the summit. We have people who are ready to make available their expertise for Northern development," Ibrahim said.
The CONSCCIMA leader said the summit would be different from the usual talkshop shows, saying "it will go beyond rhetorics and at the end of the summit, we should have a blue-print on how to grow the economy of the North in such a way that it becomes a win-win situation for everyone."