Between Jana and Jamilu.
My take on the call for outright ban on Almajiri and the obvious resistance!
No doubt this issue is very sensitive and has more social implications than one can imagine or predict. These days you see the dehumanizing state of children under the guise of Almajiri; a system of religious education practised in northern Nigeria where children as young as 3 or 4 years are sent to an unsanctioned religious teacher in a town far from their homes. They were Refused by their families. Used by their so called teachers. Misused by their so call benefactors. Abused by strangers. Rejected by society. Ignored by social institutions. Abandoned by the laws. Numbering to millions and still counting.
Children disillusioned by hunger and Homelessness.
And we see them everywhere. In silence we curse. In disdain we give. The logic is simple. They are victims of our silence. No one stood for them. No one speak for them. No one cry for them. And they are in millions. From childhood to maturity knowing only the hardest part of living.
Jana and Jamilu.
Jana lives with his parents. He attend a school with techers trained and under supervision. He sleeps next to his mother and listen to his father's instructions and never too far from his siblings corrections. Day in day out he learns the tenet and norms of the society. In school he learns science, art and other universal knowledge that some people called western education. And which really is not!. He play sports. Learn to read and write. He watches television. Get acquainted to social knowledge. Interact with other kids and share their knowledge too. His family celebrate his birthday. He knows some basic things about his background. Culture and family traditions are gradually becoming his way of life. When I took the photos of Jana he just finished playing competitive sport where he won a medal and a prize. When Jamilu was photographed he was sitting in isolation. Eating from the remnants given to him by people poorer than his family! Between Jana and Jamilu which do we wish for our child. Think before you resist. Is time we stop this threat to our children and next generation. And so shall we be victims of our silence.
V.O....