If you still think Jonathan is the problem,read this and ponder on what the writer has written! Tijani Adisa Gadani wrote! Boko Haram has been with us in the North for a very long time. The first tale signs actually started as a mild protest against the continuous neglect of the mallams (Quranic Teachers) who controlled the moral fibres of muslim society in northern Nigeria. It was gradually compounded by the increasing corruption, bankrupcy and moral degeneration among the new educated elites then. In those days, whenever we were going to school, the almajiris would be singing at us... Dan makaranta bokoko, babu karatu babu sallah, sai yawan zargin mallam... meaning you students of western education, no recitation of Quran and no prayer, you people are always abusing mallam. Sometimes they threw pebbles and stone at us playfully and for the sake of peace, we sing along with them and even enjoy it. No one ever try to re-orientate them, there was never deliberate effort to correct the reason for this animosity. While the mallams (Quranic Teachers), which used to be the revered profession gradually, became neglected and frustrated, the western educated elite which assumed the political leadership at various levels of government were flaunting their ill-gotten wealth obscenely. The number of these almajiris continues to increase and so were the mallams who were compelled to be living a spartan life. It is therefore not unexpected that these neglected but critical custodians of the moral fibers of the society would get back at the society which made and dumped them. The Uthman Dan Fodio Jihad established the Sultanate and Emirate traditional institution. These systems made the Emirs both the political and spiritual heads of their respective emirates. The Emirs relied on the mallams for the spiritual and moral upbringing of the children for which sometimes, the boy child is sent far from home to study under different mallams, a kind of traditional boarding schools. In those days, the Emirs ensure that both mallams and students are well taking care of and everybody is happy. It should be pointed out that, the colonialist appreciates the fundamentals of this system and as such, tailored their administration to suit the system. However, the struggle for independence which was championed by selected educated elites, became the turning points in the structure of education administration in Nigeria. First the educated elites ensure that the traditional rulers were completely neglected in the new order and with this came increasing neglect and frustration of the mallams. The new western education teachers many of whom are from the non-Muslims ethnic groups in the north began to gain more attention and affluence to the consternation of the Quranic Mallams and students. Perhaps, if the political leaders had tried to incorporate the western education into the curriculum of the Quranic schools, it would not have generated so much animosity. Afterall, the United Kingdoms of Malaysia actually adopted Islam as the state religion and still enjoyed accelerated technological advancement that has transformed them from a third world country to a first world country. I sincerely believe that all hope is not lost provided we will be willing to do the needful. I am actually exited that the president built several almajiri schools all over the north. However, it is my opinion that those schools, indeed every school, should be insulated from too much corruption by government officials. I have continued to advocate that government officials need to be gradually separated from government funds, and this could be started from the education sector. To me, the role of government in the education sector, should be 1. Determine what should be the education objectives. 2. Draw up the education curriculum 3. Determine how much is required to educate the child at primary, secondary and tertiary institution. 4. Determine how much it can contribute to the educational development of each child at each level. Once these are done, the government could hand over schools to trustee in each community and allow each school to determine its internal administration, teaching needs, wages and salaries of its employee etcs. Schools in the south and other parts could also be handed over to the original owners and communities. Tackling the problems would require a holistic approach, which would also include but not limited to streghtening the security apparatus to ensure the security agencies are alive to their responsibilities, taking both the mallams and almajiris off the street and re-integrating them into the modern world, deliberately addressing the problems of inequality and corruption and so on!!!
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 10:22:36 +0000
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