Some section of Sufi Islamic Scholars under the auspices of Shiekh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, a notable Islamic scholar have condemned the ban on Almajiri system by northern governors, describing the move as callous, ridiculous and discriminatory.
The scholars during a two day stakeholders meeting which took place at Zaranda Hotel in Bauchi vowed to challenge the decision of the northern governors who placed a ban on Almajiri system of education.
WikkiTimes recalls that on April 21st 2020, the Northern States Governors’ Forum had in a teleconference meeting convened by Simon Lalong, Plateau State Governor placed a ban on Almajiri system of education in the north, in an effort to tame the spread of COVID-19.
The street kids searching for Islamic knowledge across northern Nigeria have been infected by the deadly virus according to the governors’ forum.
Makut Simon Macham, director of press and public affairs to the Plateau governor, was quoted at the end of the teleconference as saying; “the Governors also discussed the risk that Almajiri children are exposed to because of the Coronavirus disease where they unanimously decided to totally ban the Almajiri system and evacuate the children to their parents or States of origin.
“They agreed to take a cue from Kano, Kaduna and Nasarawa States who have begun returning Almajiri children to families and States of origin, while those within their States who do not have parents are taken care of by the Government”, he argued at the time.
But the scholars on Thursday rejected the decision of the governors’ forum, ascribing it as derogatory on a system that was practiced for time immemorial.
Presenting a paper during the stakeholders’ meeting, Dr. Muhammad Mujtaba Abdulkadir, Secretary General of Shiekh Abdulkadir Islamic Resource Centre Bauchi said it was hypocritical for the northern governors’ forum to place a ban on almajiri system.
“What crime have the almajirai committed to deserve this humiliation? What plan has the tormentors have for the almajirai in place of the ban?
“Those that are banning people from seeking Islamic knowledge under the old system, what new system have they provided as an alternative”, he queried.
He said the northern governors’ forum was not serious for placing a ban on the system without requisite preparation and alternative.
Other scholars who spoke at the meeting were unanimous in rejecting the governors’ decision, saying sustaining the ban was highly unlikely.
The scholars said they will make their position known in a communiqué after the two days stakeholders meeting on Friday.
