THE STATE OF THE NIGERIAN CHILD (PART ONE)
The trend things are going on in Nigeria, my heart bleeds for Nigerian children that have been neglected by the society. Things are this way because there are so few people whom are ready to change the trend. There are too few people who have heart for them don’t have support in order to help them realize the dreams of raising the standard of living for the average Nigerian child. These people do not seem to realize that these children are the “future leaders” of this great nation-Nigeria, after we leave this world.
I’m currently in the Sokoto State for my youth service (September 2004-August 2005). I’ve walked through my primary assignment place, Shuni, Dange-Shuni Local Government Area, and I have discovered that some of these children called “almajiris” sleep wherever its dawn, because they are in Arabic school. Their “masters” Mallam (teacher) left them to fend for themselves and their parents are no where to be found. Recently, I interacted with a boy, called Hamballi, who does understand English language and because I do not understand the Hausa language; his mother tongue, I spoke to him through an interpreter. Hamballi came all the way from Zamfara state to learn Q'uran. His master left him to fend for himself, like his colleagues in the “school.” Do you have any desire for a western education?” I asked. It depends on his parents (father especially) as they will determine his schooling.
The Ramadan fast just ended, on Friday 12th November 2004. During the fasting period, these children run like a marathoner to one of the Nigerian former Ambassadors to Morocco in order to get what they will use to break the fast. I look at the whole situation, and see that the Nigerian children do not deserve what they are going through. This situation is not only happening in the northern states alone but through out the federation. Children roam the streets without any hope of getting any food to eat or clothes to wear.
Children’s education in Nigeria is nothing to boast about as the majority of these children from poor background cannot afford to attend private schools and the public schools cannot render quality education again. Education is starting to become commercialized in Nigeria. I attended both public primary and secondary schools but the situation back then is nothing in comparison with the current situation. Governments in the 1990s were still ready to pay the teachers salary (though too small to sustain their families), but the system (late 1980s and early 1990s) was still better than what’s obtainable now.
Pondering over the state of the Nigerian child, I tend to have heart ache because of the environment they are living and the state of their education. Some of these children roam the streets with tattered clothing, with no help from any quarters.
I would like challenge Nigerian youth; home and abroad, in order to offer a helping hand to the crying Nigerian children.
We can change the state of the Nigerian child by:
Donating our used cloths to these children,
Donating amount of money to these children,
And if possible create a rehabilitation center, where these children can be taken care of.
The history will never forgive us if don’t take drastic steps as Nigerian youth to help Nigerian children in our own time.
However, I’m using this opportunity to call on Nigerian youth to help these children. The coalition that can help Nigerian child is what we needed at the moment.
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