Poverty, Lack Of Skills Behind Almajiri Street Begging In Northern Nigeria—-Malam Mansur 

Poverty, Lack Of Skills Behind Almajiri Street Begging In Northern Nigeria—-Malam Mansur 

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

A Sokoto based Islamic scholar and Person with Disability, Malam Mansur Mujitaba has attributed Almajiri street beging in northern Nigeria to abject poverty and lack of skills. 

Mujitaba, though a scholar with disability is however a celebrated vulcanizer with lots of apprentice stated this Wednesday at Government Girls Day Secondary School Kofar Marke, Sokoto North local government during a one day female enrolment drive and Tsanagaya Reformation sensitization workshop. 

The workshop, organized by Save The Child Initiative, (STCI) Nigeria with support from PLAN International and funding from EU-INTPA Project is geared towards sensitizing scholars on the need for female enrolment in schools and reformation of the Tsangaya system of education. 

Speaking in his 

opening remarks, the Village Head of Waziri “A’ council Ward Sokoto North local government, Alhaji Junaidu Ahmad said two Tsangaya teachers were selected from each of the seven areas of Waziri “A” ward for them to become ambassadors of reformation in their respective capacities. 

In her introductory statement, Hajiya Belau Ibrahim, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Health and Gender Initiative said when Tsangaya model.of learning began in Medina, the pupils then we’re also taught skills alongside the Quranic education, hence no room for begging. 

”When the Tsangaya or Quranic school started in Median, Saudi Arabia there was no room for begging, as each Almajiri is taught a trade or skill that they offer to earn their daily sustinainance”.

She further hinted that the essence of the intervention by EU-INTPA Project through the PLAN International and implemented by  Save The Child Initiative (STCI) Nigeria is to ensure that the over 10 million Almajiri in norther Nigeria gets skills alongside Quranic knowledge. 

Expressing support for the Tsangaya reformation drive, Sokoto North local government All Progressive Congress (APC) Women Leader Hajiya Fatima Mailafiya assured that they are 100 percent behind EU-INTPA Project on increased female enrolment and Tsagaya reformation. 

Read Also: 1897 Almajiri, 1087 Out Of School Adolescent Girls Given Skills…

One of the  participating Tsangaya teachers

Malam Muhammadu Sani Dangogo while stating their challenges said he has Almajiri from Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger States as well as those from neighbouring Niger Republic, but lack conducive house for all of them. 

Towing that challenge path, another Tsangaya teacher, Mallam Sani Dangoronyo, Kofar Kware said he has over 400 Almajiri under his care with some coming all the way from Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and some states in Nigeria, but lack basic amenities to cater for them as expected. 

Another participating Islamic teacher, Malam Mustapha Hamza Gangare Aduwa Uwa, said he has 200 male and 100 female Almajiri and   housing them is a major challenge for him hence they go out to seek for what to eat before coming back for study. 

One of the participating 10 

female Tsangaya teachers, Malama Aisha Abdulkadir Waziri said parents bringing their wards as Almajiri should be compelled to ensure that they provide food and other basic necessities for them to avoid street begging.