- The Sultan’s condemnation should serve as the impetus for policy
Another prominent northern leader, Alhaji Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, the Sultan of Sokoto, has condemned one of the social practices in the region, ‘almajirinci’- street begging- which many people associate with Islam. According to the sultan, ‘almajirinci’ is the result of poverty and hunger; it has nothing to do with Islam. While declaring open the Jema’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Central Council Meeting and Pre-Ramadan Conference held at the JNI headquarters in Kaduna, the Sultan, who doubles as president-general of JNI said: “The ‘almajiri’ system of begging is not representing Islam and must, therefore, be distinguished from Islam. Islam encourages scholarship and entrepreneurship and frowns at laziness and idleness as exemplified by itinerant ‘almajiri’.
We concur.
Street begging is a major problem in the northern part of the country. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State corroborated this when he said that the ‘almajiri’ syndrome constituted a serious challenge to the government. The governor told the audience at a recent function that: “In Kano, we undertook a survey and we found out that we have more than three million ‘almajiris’ and the ‘almajiri’ syndrome is one of the serious problems that we have in the North-West geopolitical zone.”
This is huge and potentially dangerous. Because of their very nature – the almajiris are largely illiterate – they are therefore readily available as cannon fodder for unscrupulous politicians at the snap of the finger.
We commend the JNI for making the issue part of its agenda for this year’s meeting, an annual event held to set modalities and guidelines for moon sighting and general Muslim conduct during the Ramadan. Indeed, there could not have been a more auspicious occasion to make such clarification. The theme of the meeting, “The Role of Islam in Combating Corruption in Nigeria” was equally appropriate because corruption is what fuels the practice and preponderance of ‘almajiri’ in the region.
We share the sultan’s thought that “an attempt must be made to stop the ‘almajiri’ system of begging among Muslim faithful.” If a prominent Islamic body like the JNI came out boldly to condemn the practice, many of the misguided boys and girls who are into it, believing they are covered by Islam are likely to have a rethink. This is especially so in a place where the people hold their religious leaders in esteem and regard their word as law. The truth is, most of them had been wrongly indoctrinated and they have to be purged of such wrong indoctrination. Other Islamic groups should emulate JNI and let their adherents know the truth about these issues.
But the problem should not be left for the religious organisations alone. It is more of a political problem that those saddled with positions of leadership in the north have to see and treat as an emergency. The Emir of Kano, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, may have gone overboard in the way he called attention to some of these challenges in the region, the fact of the matter is that these things are real and can therefore not be swept under the carpet. Neither can they be wished away by the political leaders in the north living in denial.
The country cannot be liberated with such a huge number of hopeless and misguided able-bodied men and women living on alms. Sokoto State has come up with a law that makes it mandatory for children, particularly the girl-child, to go to school and is indeed encouraging them. Such a policy ought to be embraced by the northern leaders if we are to turn the region in particular, and the country at large, around, and make it a safe place for all
