Almajiri is un-Islamic, says Sultan

•As UNICEF partners north on girl child
education•As UNICEF partners north on girl
child education
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad
Abubakar III yesterday branded child begging,
otherwise known as Almajiri in the north as un-
Islamic.
The monarch who is also the President General
of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs (NSCIA), who spoke at a meeting
between representatives of the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Northern State
Governments and the Sultan Foundation for
Peace and Development on development of girl
child in Nigeria also dismissed refusal to
educate a girl-child in the name of religion as a
total misconception.
The Sultan said Almajiri has nothing to do with
Islam.
“We talk about Almajiri in the North, and we
keep on seeing it as if it is a religious issue.
‘Almajirinci’ has nothing to do with Islam,” he
said.
“It is an issue of poverty and nothing more, and
the earlier we all recognized this fact, the better
for us.”
He, however, stressed the need for the girl-child
to be educated, saying:”we believe an educated
girl is better in bringing up better family and
citizenry to the world because we all know the
importance of our mothers.
“They trained and brought us up. If you check
the lifestyle of an individual, if it’s good, check
the family background; and if bad check the
family background. The women play that
important role of bringing up the society.
“Here in Northern Nigeria, we don’t pay much
attention to girl-child education. As we all know
an educated woman is more an asset than
uneducated one or even educated man, you
must be knowledgeable to lead. To rule you
must be knowledgeable.
“The girl-child education has become very
important especially now that the world is
facing social problems, and Nigeria is part of
that global village,” the Sultan stressed.
In her remarks, the Country Representative,
UNICEF Nigeria, Jean Gough described
education as the cornerstone of everything, and
without education, there cannot be reduction in
poverty in any country.
Education, according to him “is the hardest
sector to transform. Children in the Northeast
have lost two years of education. We know
Nigeria is working to achieving the goal of
President Muhammadu Buhari in transforming
the education sector. We hope this year 2016
will be a year of true change.
“Change can only happen when leaders in
Nigeria are in partnership with all second of
education and when proper action is taken.”