THE ALMAJIRI: A CANCER TO NIGERIA By Chuqa Stanley Ndu

I was born in the north and I have lived here all my life, I even sometimes dress and look like a Northerner these days as I am fashioned with a large chunk of beards on my jaw line (In a fashion common with the Mallams of the North), but these terrestrial predispositions and experiences are not the only basis for which I have come to learn and blame the North for contributing largely to the Economic backwardness of Nigeria.

Before I continue with my analogy I would like to ask: why is it that a Region that has ruled the Nation on The Federal front for a better part of our 55 years of our Independence still accounts for the Highest level of Illiteracy and Poverty??

While you circle your thoughts around that question it will give me genuine satisfaction to Plunge into my constructive criticism and outcry on a few Ideologies and policies of the Northern leaders & Populace.

First off Is the Almajiri system of giving birth to boys and living them to grow on the streets, with no love or care from the world around them, thereby making them WILD BEASTS with no respect for civilized human existence.

This tradition has over the years produced a Thug Army for the greedy intentions of Religious & political leaders in the North. An Example of the barbaric nature of this Thug land Army are the Killings of over 30,000 easterners in the pogroms of 1967 that preceded the Nigerian-Biafran War, and also other cases of mass killings and destructions carried out by these wild Almajiri’s in the near past. At the end this system produces millions of uneducated, Uncivilized young men who become economic hazards to the Nation.

Second off, It is a known circle of life around the world that parents would bring up and fend for their children when they are young and so also when these children grow, they in turn Cater for, and take care of their aged parents. But in all my years in Nigeria it is mostly only in the north that you would find 3 generations (Comprising of a Grand parent, a parent and a child) on the road sides begging for arms. 70 Percent of these beggars are not maimed in any way as they have complete limbs and full control of their sight. This Traditions have made the north a burden to itself and to the Nation, because there was no parental care for the Almajiri boy and in turn he holds no love or inclinations to help the aged generation.
THIS IN MY OWN OPINION IS WHAT YOU CALL A HOPELESS SOCIETY..

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