A call by the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, that mosques in the North should be converted to schools in order to stem the tide of terrorism, underdevelopment and poverty in the region may seem a bold statement but is it right? IYABO LAWAL and UJUNWA ATUEYI in this report examine the motive behind the proposal.

Ten-year-old Musa Muhammed has a face that should be on a billboard – a billboard bearing a message about endangered children. Aisha, his mother came from Kebbi State and dropped him off at a Quranic School in Kano State when he was seven.

Left to his own devices, he is gaunt, and clad in torn clothes, which haven’t been touched by water in a long time. He is inside a local restaurant, cleaning off the plates of a customer who has just finished eating – with his tongue.

Like Musa, over seven million children in northern Nigeria are in the Almajiri System, according to figures from the National Council for the Welfare of Destitute (NCWD).




That figure is three times the population of The Gambia.
They are lopped off at thousands of Quranic schools that dot cities in many parts of northern Nigeria where they learn five-days in a week, and attend classes four times in a day. They are also expected to earn a living by begging and sometimes provide for their teachers’ upkeep too.



On Fridays, they are let loose on the city where they beg for alms to feed, or run errands. The notorious ones get their preliminary introduction in fundamentalism from rabble-rousing street preachers who introduce them to the terror trade.

Placed in this context, the call for the conversion of mosques to schools by the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammad Sanusi II, sounded like the words of a sage. However, there are those who say it is a recipe for chaos.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, in an address at the joint convocation of 2,000 teachers held at the Kano Government House, on February 7, regretted that the North has been lagging behind educationally.

Mallam Sanusi challenged northern governors to build a giant remedial college to accommodate all northern candidates, who fail to secure admission into conventional universities and for the use of mosques as schools.

To convince his audience that his ideas were not impractical, Sanusi cited the example of Morocco where this model of education was obtainable. He argued that this remedial institution would improve literacy rates in northern Nigeria, which currently plays catch up to the southern part of the country.

However, the debate about the much-touted educational backwardness of northern Nigeria is often starved of the benefit of a background. Prior to the infiltration of foreign cultures both Western and Islamic, indigenous Nigerians had functional education systems.

There existed well organised ancient city states across the various parts of what is today known as Nigeria. Prior to the arrival of the British colonialists, the Almajiri System was founded to perpetuate Islamic education. Pupils lived with their parents, the schools were within their vicinity, institutional funding was provided and even an inspector reported to the Emir on progress.

“The British invaded the region and killed most of the Emirs and deposed some. The Emirs lost control of their territories and accepted their new roles, as mere traditional rulers. They also lost fundamental control of the Almajiri System,” Professor Idris Abdulkadir, former Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC) said.
Abdulkadir further stated, “The British deliberately abolished state funding in respect to the system arguing that, they were religious schools. With loss of support from the government, its immediate community and the helpless Emirs, the Almajiri system collapsed like a pile of cards. Karatun Boko, western education was introduced and funded instead. The pupils now turned, Almajiri together with their Mallams, having no financial support resorted to begging and other menial jobs for survival. This is certainly the genesis of the predicament of the Almajiri system today.

Scholars argued that the North never believed that education was bad, only the Western kind, which they believed would corrode their values roil their stomachs.

Therefore, administrators in the region bowed to pressure from religious groups and did little to push western education. The consequence is the current system where there are more mosques than schools and millions of young northerners who lack skills that would make them self-sufficient today.

Extremism
The proliferation of mosques in the North and the failure of the Almajiri system have led many to believe that the system has morphed into a fertile ground for recruiting extremists.

“As the system is currently being practised today, lots of the children never made it. Some are lost through violence in the streets and some remain as untrained armies available to anybody poised to foment trouble. They have their own axes to grind against their parents, authorities and the society at large,” Abdulkadir stated.

A large population of illiterates coupled with an army of unemployed northern youths bruising under the weight of a corrupt political system is among the conditions that gave birth to Boko Haram in 2002 in Maiduguri, Borno State, by 32-year old Mohammed Yusuf.

Yusuf, a preacher gave scathing sermons against the government, which resonated with the people who hold a searing grudge against the establishment and Western education. When he was killed by security forces in 2009, hardliners in his organisation led by Abubakar Shekau, led a bloody insurgency whose embers still burn to this day.

This, however, is in sharp contrast with the southern part of Nigeria where though a church is springing up at every block, does not experience any sort of extremism.

It was against this backdrop that Sanusi made the call with an explanation that mosques could serve as alternatives pending when government can provide a conventional school structure.
He said that historically mosques are used for the accomplishment of other things other than worship. They have been used for instructions, meetings, arbitrations, policy planning and education.
Is Sanusi’s call a solution to encouraging education or just a little step in the long way to help northerners in educating their children?
The issue has elicited strong reactions from northern opinion leaders. Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, called the Emir’s statement “mischievous”, insisting that it will not solve the problem of millions of children begging on the street.

In the same vein, the Chief Imam of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Murtala Bidmos said the idea is not ideal.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/02/viability-of-sanusis-suggestion-on.html

good
will read later

He is a product of civilisation hence understands the root cause of radicals in their mist

Education is the key

Education is the best legacy.

I dont know why the media always twist words, always looking for a way to cause problems......He never said mosque should be converted as schools, he said mosques should also be used as school.

He must have seen that the backwardness of that region educationally is eventually coming to bite the elites.

the writer said the almajiri system worked well before British came before thr was nigeria. before influence of western culture. the writer now said the system collapsed wen British refused funding after terming it religious school....

contradicting ur self

He made the wisest statement I've ever heard from a northerner.
I don't discriminate against any religion, but one shortcoming of the preachers of this religion is that they have failed to modernize their doctrine and preaching with time.

Churches preach on the importance of education, family planning, etc. But preachers of this religion have failed so far to adapt it with changing times.

This has further underdeveloped the north, no value for education, giving birth like chickens, ET cetera.

Until their preachers emulate Sanusi in stressing the importance of education the vicious cycle continues.

No doubt, Emir Sanusi is the most intelligent northerner I've seen so far. My likes for him is really growing. We need people like him in the helm of the affairs of this country and not the dying dullardhio

Junaid Muhammad on the other hand has remained a deluded fanatic: a potential terrorist, people like him and hell rufai are the more reason why the north has remained backward,.


Friendchoice, do you agree with the Emir on this?

The north needs more schools than mosques. I always say, the worst thing that happened to the north is Islam. Cause when you look at them and people who introduced the religion to them you'll truly see they're a million years apart. Mixing Islam with their cultures didn't even help them at all.

Some ignorant southerners have already landed to play experts in northern problems as if they don't have their own problems to attend to.
At least we don't always blame others for our woes but try to find a solution like the Mai Martaba has rightly advised.

Sanusi,the present Emir of Kano ,said the right thing, offered the advice..

Rilwayne001:
No doubt, Emir Sanusi is the most intelligent northerner I've seen so far. My likes for him is really growing. We need people like him in the helm of the affairs of this country and not the dying dullardhio

You must not insult Buhari before you made your point. If He dies then may you continue to live forever if thatx what you want.

Junaid Muhammad on the other hand has remained a deluded fanatic: a potential terrorist, people like him and hell rufai are the more reason why the north has remained backward,.

Your own opinion. Backward in which sense? May be you mean Media Backward.

Friendchoice, do you agree with the Emir on this?

What is the emir saying? Convert Mosque into formal Islamic school or convert mosque to Primary schools?

FriendChoice:


You must not insult Buhari before you made your point. If He dies then may you continue to live forever if thatx what you want.

You can't deny the fact that Sanusi is more sane and enlightened than him, no doubt he would make a better president that bubu, no?

Your own opinion. Backward in which sense? May be you mean Media Backward.
What is the emir saying? Convert Mosque into formal Islamic school or convert mosque to Primary schools?

Read the OP to get the picture of what I'm saying.

Rilwayne001:


You can't deny the fact that Sanusi is more sane and enlightened than him, no doubt he would make a better president that bubu, no?

Dullard means stupid person.

Read the OP to get the picture of what I'm saying.

I have read: No details on what I asked.

FriendChoice:

Dullard means stupid person.

Is this the answer to myy question?

I have read: No details on what I asked.

In the pithy aphorisms, the salient points made by the Emir is that, the ratio of mosque in the north which is way above that of the educational school is not helping the many mishaps being faced over there.

To put it simply, we need more schools than mosque in other for a better future and not to remain backward as things are over there.

The proliferation of mosques in the North and the failure of the Almajiri system have led many to believe that the system has morphed into a fertile ground for recruiting extremists.

Rilwayne001:


Is this the answer to myy question?

No am just correcting you because the last time someone insult Buhari in Delta He receive a spiritual slap.

In the pithy aphorisms, the salient points made by the Emir is that, the ratio of mosque in the north which is way above that of the educational school is not helping the many mishaps being faced over there.

To put it simply, we need more schools than mosque in other for a better future and not to remain backward as things are over there.

That's why I asked which type of school.

Let me educate you: There are many mosques that serve two purpose both praying and schooling (Both Islamic and Primary schools)

Let's assume thatx not his point: Let some mosques entirely change to primary school.

We will take his words serious when he start with Kano Emirate Mosque.

Rilwayne001:
No doubt, Emir Sanusi is the most intelligent northerner I've seen so far. My likes for him is really growing. We need people like him in the helm of the affairs of this country and not the dying dullardhio

Junaid Muhammad on the other hand has remained a deluded fanatic: a potential terrorist, people like him and hell rufai are the more reason why the north has remained backward,.


Friendchoice, do you agree with the Emir on this?

The day you insult Buhari again

The emir didn't say to convert mosques 2 schools. More like, it should be used for academic purposes a swell. I like the idea. Use it to inculcate against extremism. The north needs that. To be able to use logic more.