Where Lies The Hope Of The Almajiris In Nigeria -By Femi Oluwasanmi

Over the years, several promises have been made by both the present and past governments to end the menace of Almajeris from the street across the country. Some even gone ahead to built Almajeris schools while some accused the state government of not doing enough to end this problem. However, despite this lamentations and promises the numbers of children out of school, especially, the Almajeris continue to increase on daily basis.

According to the data released by Unicef in 2014, the number of the Almajeris children wandering about on the street is 9.5 millions, making it 75% of the total number of children out of school in Nigeria today.
Currently, the country is home to 13.5 million of children out of school. These are the leaders of tomorrow. The future of the nation but unfortunately, wandering the street while they ought to be warming up to contribute to the nation’s workforce. No wonder why the level of insecurity continues to increase in the country.

As matter of fact, there is no Nation that can attain full development without putting in place measures to ensure that children are given the right culture and knowledge at the appropriate time. This is because an idle mind is the laboratory of the devil. That is the reason it is believe that there is a strong nexus between the increase in the level of insecurity and the number of children out of school in Nigeria.

Boko Haram for instance, have continue to wax stronger despite the nation’s humongous budget for security because it has access to the army of out of school children in the North Eastern region of the country. These children most of the time have no access to good food, good accommodation and others. Some do not even know their parents.

Infact, some have been so trumatised by this harsh life to the extent that they see no difference between the hobbesian state where life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” and Nigerian State. Thus, making them vulnerable to the manipulation of the unscrupulous elements in the society.

Based on the media reports, the numbers of Boko Haram killed by the military within this Ten years of gorilla war is more than ten thousand but they still continue to wreak havoc on the people in the region because of their ability to manipulate these children and make them believe their cause.

According to the data released by the Global Conflict Tracker, 2019, the number of people killed by the Boko Harram since 2011 till date are more than 37,000, while those displaced by the sect are more than two millions.

In the Southern part of the country, the story remains the same as criminals continue to capitalize on the availability of the out of school children to perpetuate kidnapping, killings, stealings and other anti-societal activities. The most pathetic one is the recuitment of the grown up ones among these children for thuggery, ballot boxes snaching and stuffing during the elections by the political elites.

Even, after the elections, some still use them to lure their junior ones for ritual while exporting some to other countries through dangerous route for child labour.

Unfortunately, those that are lucky to have little knowledges among these people tend to be radical due to the inhuman treatment received from the environment they found themselves during their childhood. 

In their teachings, they mixed emotions with knowledge and translate teachings that might pitch people against people, or against government all in the name of trying to change the status quo or avenge a course. Sadly, these people continue to succeed because of the insensitivity of the government to the plight of the out of school children.

However, some of the state governments that even try to show concern are doing that using abnormal approach. Some of them formed a task force that chases these children as if they are chasing armed robbers. In some cases, they are being arrested and remanded with hardened criminals where they possess more resistance attitude for their return.
As a matter of fact, there is no automatic future anywhere. Everything that happens on Earth happened because they are planned for. A nation that fails to plan for its future will surely live in the future it sees. Nigeria is rated first among the Nations with the height number of out of school children in the world today because of the failure of the past governments to plan for the future and it remains unabated because the current administration is paying lip service to it.

The current administration continue to issued statements upon statements, making promises upon promises even to the extent of shifting the blames on the state government. However, the daily increase in the numbers of children out of school shows that action so far signals nothing different from the status quo.

Instead, what seems to dominate both government and public discourses is the issue of 37 billions Naira for the renovation of building built with lesser amount, all in the name of better representation while those claimed to be represented are seriously battling poverty, education mishap, epileptic power supply and other things that only exit in a State that has mansions in the land of failure or planning to build one.

Therefore, it is high time to move from the level of promise making to the level of implementation. This is because, a statement without an action is just like a tree without a fruit.

Femi Oluwasanmi, Ibafo, Ogun State.