One of my relations narrated her encounter with Almajiri children to me when she went visiting her son up there in Kano.
The children,according to her, were in such a very bad state that they seem as though they hadn't had their baths in months and that what they wore in the harsh weather conditions were practically rags! She felt so sorry for them that she would shed tears and at other times,she would search the whole house for old clothing for them from her grand children's wardrobe and give the little food she can to the poor children who would be more than happy to receive such rare gifts.
She gave some of them money of N5 notes which was what she could offer,she couldn't help but marvel at the kind of celebration that ensued afterwards! To her,N5 was nothing and in fact,she hoped they would accept it at all,but,there they are celebrating the gift as though it was a million Naira!
Now,that's NOT to pick on the Almajiris...no,no,no,far from it! After all,it's not like we don't have beggars from other parts of the country.The point is that begging and crippling poverty have become our hallmark as a country,hence,our classification as a third world country!
So many are confused as to the root cause of our predicament as a nation,to me,I think it's IGNORANCE!Yes,we got schools,teachers,academicians,doctors and professors,but,the fact remains that education still elude us!
We go to school to learn all the theories,but we never practiced what we learn.Not even the Professors of our higher institutions gets to practice.Instead of practicing,we sought out for excuses!Creativity is completely out of it.That's why I always say that we got millions of literates and learned people in Nigeria but very few educated ones.According to Aristotle,"Poverty is the Parent of Revolution and Crime".
What that implies is that it is only people with very little or nothing at all that can volunteer to be participants of Insurgencies and all other forms of crime.What do they have to loose??? Absolutely NOTHING!!!
In case you haven't noticed,ever since cases of Boko Haram has been reported,there has NOT been a time we heard that a son of a wealthy merchant or politician was a volunteer.They are always the children of the poor!You know why?They got to eat,they got to feed and if risking their lives is a means of getting that done or perhaps a sacrifice for other members of the family to live decent lives,then,it's worth a try!
If you are a Muslim,just imagine observing the Ramadhan without adequate sustenance,that you had to take your Sahoor with left overs from a food canteen and break the fast with just water...imagine having to do that throughout Ramadhan!
As for non-Muslims,imagine having to wait for the crumbles from someone else table such that if you are lucky,you are able to gather enough for a single meal throughout the day!Imagine feeling hungry with nothing to quench it for a better part of everyday!Then,out of the blues comes someone like you but a little better off...he's got money and he willingly share with you his food,shelter and clothing.After some weeks together,he invites you to fish like he does!Would you refuse his offer???
This is my take of how Insurgencies like Boko Haram came to be.The so called elites or the Cabals of the world work in the same manner.They take advantage of the poverty status of the majority,recruit them and use them against the State.They are poor,yet,they are in possession of sophisticated weapons,how did they get them?
Guys,truth be told,if we must win the war against the various terror groups we have in the country,we must tackle poverty.To tackle poverty effectively,we must become socially responsible.We must care about the less privileged in the Society,it's true that it's largely the Government's responsibility,but,does that mean that we cannot do something too? No, it doesn't!
John F. Kennedy, the former President of the United States once said that "Ask NOT what your country can do for you,but,what YOU can do for your Country". Meaning that we don't have to wait for the Government to do something to better our society,rather,we should be pro-active always.
Let the well to do and our rural leaders team up and take the lead in catering for the less privileged before some idiots would gather them and recruit them as a willing tool to disrupt the peace and harmony of our society.Even you and I can help,despite our limited resources,let's share the little we have with them and where possible,let's find them a job or at least create a welfare package so as to deny the Cabals and the 'Elites' the ability to rock our National boat in the future!
Boko Haram shall be effectively defeated if every resident in the North be you Hausa,Igbo,Yoruba or ANY other tribe see to the need to come together empower the destitute and PROVIDE THE SECURITY FORCES USEFUL INFORMATION ON THE BOKOs.
I rest my case!
God Bless Nigeria!
The children,according to her, were in such a very bad state that they seem as though they hadn't had their baths in months and that what they wore in the harsh weather conditions were practically rags! She felt so sorry for them that she would shed tears and at other times,she would search the whole house for old clothing for them from her grand children's wardrobe and give the little food she can to the poor children who would be more than happy to receive such rare gifts.
She gave some of them money of N5 notes which was what she could offer,she couldn't help but marvel at the kind of celebration that ensued afterwards! To her,N5 was nothing and in fact,she hoped they would accept it at all,but,there they are celebrating the gift as though it was a million Naira!
Now,that's NOT to pick on the Almajiris...no,no,no,far from it! After all,it's not like we don't have beggars from other parts of the country.The point is that begging and crippling poverty have become our hallmark as a country,hence,our classification as a third world country!
So many are confused as to the root cause of our predicament as a nation,to me,I think it's IGNORANCE!Yes,we got schools,teachers,academicians,doctors and professors,but,the fact remains that education still elude us!
We go to school to learn all the theories,but we never practiced what we learn.Not even the Professors of our higher institutions gets to practice.Instead of practicing,we sought out for excuses!Creativity is completely out of it.That's why I always say that we got millions of literates and learned people in Nigeria but very few educated ones.According to Aristotle,"Poverty is the Parent of Revolution and Crime".
What that implies is that it is only people with very little or nothing at all that can volunteer to be participants of Insurgencies and all other forms of crime.What do they have to loose??? Absolutely NOTHING!!!
In case you haven't noticed,ever since cases of Boko Haram has been reported,there has NOT been a time we heard that a son of a wealthy merchant or politician was a volunteer.They are always the children of the poor!You know why?They got to eat,they got to feed and if risking their lives is a means of getting that done or perhaps a sacrifice for other members of the family to live decent lives,then,it's worth a try!
If you are a Muslim,just imagine observing the Ramadhan without adequate sustenance,that you had to take your Sahoor with left overs from a food canteen and break the fast with just water...imagine having to do that throughout Ramadhan!
As for non-Muslims,imagine having to wait for the crumbles from someone else table such that if you are lucky,you are able to gather enough for a single meal throughout the day!Imagine feeling hungry with nothing to quench it for a better part of everyday!Then,out of the blues comes someone like you but a little better off...he's got money and he willingly share with you his food,shelter and clothing.After some weeks together,he invites you to fish like he does!Would you refuse his offer???
This is my take of how Insurgencies like Boko Haram came to be.The so called elites or the Cabals of the world work in the same manner.They take advantage of the poverty status of the majority,recruit them and use them against the State.They are poor,yet,they are in possession of sophisticated weapons,how did they get them?
Guys,truth be told,if we must win the war against the various terror groups we have in the country,we must tackle poverty.To tackle poverty effectively,we must become socially responsible.We must care about the less privileged in the Society,it's true that it's largely the Government's responsibility,but,does that mean that we cannot do something too? No, it doesn't!
John F. Kennedy, the former President of the United States once said that "Ask NOT what your country can do for you,but,what YOU can do for your Country". Meaning that we don't have to wait for the Government to do something to better our society,rather,we should be pro-active always.
Let the well to do and our rural leaders team up and take the lead in catering for the less privileged before some idiots would gather them and recruit them as a willing tool to disrupt the peace and harmony of our society.Even you and I can help,despite our limited resources,let's share the little we have with them and where possible,let's find them a job or at least create a welfare package so as to deny the Cabals and the 'Elites' the ability to rock our National boat in the future!
Boko Haram shall be effectively defeated if every resident in the North be you Hausa,Igbo,Yoruba or ANY other tribe see to the need to come together empower the destitute and PROVIDE THE SECURITY FORCES USEFUL INFORMATION ON THE BOKOs.
I rest my case!
God Bless Nigeria!
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