1) MARRIAGE ACROSS SOCIAL STATUS: Let the rich be told to, for the sake of Allah, marry from the poor. Imagine a man who is wealthy with 4 wives who are from poor background. He will be able to empower 4 families. Our Emirs can start it. Instead of marrying the daughters of other Emirs "to strengthen royal relationship" they should marry from the poor. Let people hear the Emir has proposed to the daughter of Mallam Abdullahi a poor farmer, we are awaiting if she will accept. This will drive home two strong messages and encourage others to do same.

2) ZAKAT: Our Emirs should help collect Zakat from the rich and distribute to the poor. Zakat is 2.5% of the wealth of a Muslim who has up to a certain amount of money for a certain amount of time.It is a pillar of Islam. One Muslim alone, who is from Kano, his Zakat is said to be around 700billion, of course he gives this amount but imagine if he had a body like the Emirate of Kano that can help him yearly in the distribution of this. This is just one person. What about others?

3) Government should hand out Money! - I travelled about 14 Northern States of recent and more than half of the State Governors were said to be in Abuja. One has been in Abuja for a month, i kept contact with his office and after a month he was still in Abuja. I later got to know he practically stays in Abuja, perhaps in one luxury hotel he has paid for covering 4-8 years. The point is who is speaking against all these? If the money such Governors go and blow in Abuja is given to the people, we will save another 100 families. Like one of my egbon said on this issue, there is nowhere in the world were provision of basic amenities is left to individuals.

148 million Americans are on direct welfare from Government. This is almost half the population and almost the population of the whole Nigeria. Matter of fact there are more welfare recipients than government workers. In Muslim countries like the UAE this will be worse (i mean better), the only problem will be the government will not publicize its charity and hence figures will be scarce.

The idea that poor people cannot be directly sheltered and feed by the government is an oppressive, privileged, arrogant and ignorant thinking fueled by classism and superiority complex. The second Caliph of Islam is said to have gone out at night and saw a woman boiling stone so that the children will go to sleep, out of poverty. Umar went to the Muslim treasury, took out goods, carried them on his shoulders and head towards this poor woman, he didn't say why does she have all these kids when she can't feed them, and when some offered to help him carry the load, he refused and asked the fellow if he will also help him carry his burden of questioning on the day of Judgement.

PS: Let the privileged stop using cane on the average people, they are not animals to be wiped into sharp. The "scholars" that the Emir said he has gathered, there will be no poor person among them, go and find out. Even scholarship will be defined by wealth and "achievements".

Let the "high ad mighty" take responsibility for once. People are not poor because they are having children, they are poor because some sit on stupendous amount of resources which they got by being the son of so and so, while others do not have opportunities. Do not try to change the narrative!
- Eseoghene Al-Faruq Ohwojeheri

Agreed 100%