Senator Rochas Okorocha has stood in defence of the Almajiri, insisting that Northern Governors have been unfair in their dealings with the child urchins.
“Help to educate these children, give them jobs, who knows one of them could be a President someday.”
Okorocha spoke in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, monitored by Vanguard on Tuesday.
“The governors and other rich Individuals should help transform the Almajiri system of Islamic education, instead of subjecting them to humiliation.
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Many of our prominent people now, were once, Almajiri,” the former Imo state government has said.
According to Okorocha, the Almajiri system is not the problem but hunger and poverty.
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“The system had its origin from the migration of Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
When he migrated from Mecca, some people followed him in search of knowledge and they were catered for. They were not left hungry.
They were fed.” He reiterated that the abandoned children needed care while the system is reformed by all. “Some of us have excess that we don’t need. Channel such towards enhancing the living standard of such children.
“They are our children.”
He said his Okorocha Foundation had established schools in Kano, Yola, Zaria and Sokoto with the sole aim of providing education to the Almajiri.
The Northern Governors had in recent times, expressed dismay over the Almajiri system and had repatriated the children to their various states of origin for fear of the COVID-19.
