Street Urchin: The Breed Of Insecurity In Nigeria -By Jimoh Abdullahi

As Nigeria is currently suffering from the excruciating pain occasioned by the casted shackles of insecurity, in one way or the other, the sensational effect of it, is clearly seen on all and sundry. Like a whirlwind, it blows back and forth and left no one untouched. Be it Public officials, Civil servants, Traditional rulers, Students, Pupils, Business tycoons whatever the status or occupation. To say the fact, the tendrils of the chaos is nurtured by all of us, why? It is because everybody minds his own business and show no concern for the welfare of others. George Bernard Shaw once said in his dramatic text ” Devil’s Disciple” _ ” The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them but to be indifferent to them; that is the essence of inhumanity”. It is skew to confine the situation to only Nigeria, as it is a ubiquitous phenomenon. For instance, in Africa, Ghana has about 30, 000 street children, almost a million in Egypt, Ethiopia; 30, 000, Kenya; has between 250,000 and 300,000 not to talk of Tanzania, Cape Town etc. ___ an estimation from the consortium of street children revealed. Another statistic from the United Nations international children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also estimated them to be 30 million. And the aforesaid, figures are similar to those of Asia and Latin America even, some developed countries like USA, Europe and Canada also share in the nasty conditions. Although, what gives rise to the problem is very complex in nature but the certain ones cannot escape Parental irresponsibility, Displacement by war, Poverty, Parental divorce, Parental death and a host of others. You will see them sleeping on the pavements under the bridge spreading their calico sheets, cardboard boxes or on the bare ground cuddling the cold weather of the night and listening to the humming tone of the blood sucking Mosquitoes. They do not have particular luggages other than plastic bags, broken retail, trolleys sacks symbolising lives on the move. With that, they are ready to do any kind of job that comes their way. But begging for money to eat is majorly their practices.

Northern Nigeria

A proper reflection unravels the hidden root of Northern region as the epicenter of Boko-Haram/ ISWAP, Bandits /Kidnappers insurgent activities and which made it a warring zone. The Almajiris cultural system that exists in the North which have been totally criticised by some public analysts, literary and nonliterary scholars in form of writing and speech are yet to stop. It entails bearing several children and place them under the tutelage of an Islamic cleric without making a necessary provision for them especially males. These children will then be forced to be begging or looking for remnants food around due to a severe hunger. As that degenerative and embarrassing menace continues, it then, opens the door of opportunity for the political gamblers and unpatriotic bastardly rich traitors. Has anybody ever ponder on where the Boko-Haram/ ISWAP get the people they recruit? How do they seem unconquerable despite relentless efforts of the Nigerian army? An investigative report covered by the “New York times” on the repentant Boko-Haram unveils what lead some to join the bloodbath sect.

Southeastern and the Western Nigeria

The major insecurity challenges facing these regions are; Ritualism/ Kidnapping, and Armed robbery/Cultism. The youngsters on the street and slum dwellers are largely less immune against the eagles watch of the cultists/ Armed robbers who want theses naive young people to join them so as to use them as an instruments to perpetrate their various nefarious operations. On July 2017, an 11 years old boy was rescued and rehabilitated by the Tony Rapu- led God Bless Nigeria/ Freedom Foundation from the street of Lagos with Shanawole sobriquet. On the circulated video footage on the Facebook, he recounted his macabre experiences when he was working for Eiye (Air lords) confraternity a popular Cultism organization in the State. Even, some of them have been victimised by the ritualists. The case of Adeoye Fawaz, the chess champion and bus conductor, who won the mental Maths competition organised by CEO of chess in slum Africa, Tunde Onakoya. His feat has trended on the social media lately. 18 years old boy disclosed his ugly foray under the bridge of Oshodi, the most heavily populated commercial areas of Lagos state, parental death and divorce that rendered Fawaz homeless is true of what lead others into the world of streetism. The wisdom behind the feat of Adeoye signaled that, a lot them are extraordinarily endowed and if nurtured they will certainly excel. Do you know how them that have been lost? Owing to our negligence. Finally, Yorubas are fond of a proverb which illustrates; ” It is the egg of a hen that grown to a cock” It seems paradoxical? Then, it remains a food for thought for all the stakeholders.

Jimoh Abdullahi wrote in via solihuabdullahi99@gmail.com